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When your kid wakes up with a sore throat on a Saturday morning, the last thing you want is a long wait in an emergency room.
For more Saskatchewan families, a quick trip to the pharmacy might now be all it takes to get tested, diagnosed and treated.
The Government of Saskatchewan is expanding its pharmacist-led strep throat testing pilot, giving more people across the province faster, easier access to care.
Eleven additional pharmacies that had been checking for ear infections are now also offering strep testing. They join 11 pharmacies already providing both services, while another 24 will continue assessing ear infections only.
“Everything we do in healthcare needs to be about more options and more access for patients,” said Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill. “It’s been really exciting to see how this pilot project has rolled out. It’s exciting to see more pharmacists jump on board.”
Pharmasave in Warman is one of 11 pharmacies around the province newly offering strep throat testing. L-R: Martensville-Blairmore MLA Jamie Martens, Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill, Warman Pharmasave Manager Heather Coleman, Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan CEO Michael Fougere, Social Services Minister Terry Jenson. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
Quicker answers, fewer ER visits
Since the pilot began in January, pharmacists have done more than 4,300 assessments — 3,302 for sore throats and 1,025 for suspected ear infections. Each one represents someone who got help close to home instead of waiting days for a doctor or sitting in the ER for hours.
“You think about being able to come to a pharmacist and get an ear infection or a strep throat assessment in 15 or 20 minutes,” Cockrill said. “As a young parent myself, that sounds a lot better than sitting in an emergency room.”
Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill announced the expansion of Saskatchewan’s pharmacy strep testing pilot on Friday, giving families faster, easier access to care close to home. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
And those visits add up. “That’s thousands of emergency room visits we’ve been able to save right across the province,” he said. “It’s just better care for patients.”
A boost for smaller communities
In many communities, pharmacies are the most accessible place for basic health-care.
“I want to make the option available across the province in communities large and small,” Cockrill said when asked whether the program will continue to expand. “There (are) some communities where the pharmacy is the main access point for health care. This is a great opportunity to really expand what can be done in a pharmacy so that people can stay closer to home.”
In Warman, Pharmasave Manager Heather Coleman has already seen the difference.
“We’re a young community in Warman. Lots of kids,” she said. “When parents are up late at night or in the evening with a child, we’re open. A lot of walk-ins might be closed. So it’s been very positive.”
Pharmacy-based strep throat testing is quick and easy — a simple throat swab provides fast answers and treatment options. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
Care that fits your day
When accessing a strep throat test at a pharmacy, the process is simple — and quick.
“Just call the pharmacy,” Coleman said. “The test is about six minutes. We can slot you in, make a time, come down. It’ll take about 15 to 20 minutes to get you through.”
Pharmacies offering the service have invested in new equipment and training, but Coleman says it’s worth it. “It is quite a significant investment for pharmacies to do this, but it’s worth it. It’s worth it to give the community the access.”
Pharmacists analyze the swab on-site, giving patients results in minutes and helping reduce unnecessary ER or Urgent Care visits. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
More options, better access
Pharmacists in Saskatchewan have been expanding their role for more than a decade. Since 2012, they’ve gained the authority to prescribe for 31 minor ailments, from pink eye to cold sores. This latest pilot is another step in giving patients more convenient, hands-on care.
The expansion has earned praise from the Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan. In a statement, CEO Michael Fougere noted, “Across the country, provinces are recognizing the vital role pharmacy professionals play in expanding access to primary care. This announcement by the Government of Saskatchewan represents an innovative step forward in strengthening health services across the province.”
For families across Saskatchewan, it means less waiting, less travel and faster answers — exactly what you want when someone in your household isn’t feeling well.
Where to find strep testing pharmacies
Pharmacists at these locations can now assess, test, and prescribe for strep throat:
- Dieppe Pharmacy – 6222 Dewdney Avenue, Regina
- Wal-Mart Pharmacy – 2150 Prince of Wales Drive, Regina
- Shoppers Drug Mart – 42–2105 8th Street East, Saskatoon
- FreshCo Pharmacy – 302–33rd Street West, Saskatoon
- *Pharmasave – 3–50 Kenderdine Road, Saskatoon
- Warman Pharmasave – 9–910 Centennial Boulevard, Warman
- Pharmasave – 30–3rd Street NE, Weyburn
- *Safeway Pharmacy – 200–1st Avenue North West, Moose Jaw
- Crescent Park Pharmacy – 1501A Olive Diefenbaker Drive, Prince Albert
- Shoppers Drug Mart – 100–22B Great Plains Road, Emerald Park
- Shoppers Drug Mart – 911 Central Avenue North, Swift Current
*These sites will begin offering testing in January 2026.
The following pharmacies have been offering both strep and ear infection assessments since the pilot kicked off in January 2025:
- Biggar Guardian Pharmacy – 307 Main Street, Biggar
- Foam Lake Pharmacy – 407 Main Street, Foam Lake
- Shoppers Drug Mart #434 – Unit 107, 1919 8th Avenue, Humboldt
- WillowGrove Pharmacy – 705M 11th Avenue East, Kindersley
- Meadow Lake Co-op Pharmacy – 212 Centre Street, Meadow Lake
- Pederson Family Pharmacy – 102 Main Street, Melfort
- Moose Jaw Rexall Drug Store – 701 Main Street North, Moose Jaw
- Riverbend Co-op Pharmacy – 218 Saskatchewan Avenue East, Outlook
- New Hope Pharmacy – 316 Main Street, Stoughton
- Pioneer Co-op Drugs #4 – 1150 Central Avenue North, Swift Current
- Shoppers Drug Mart #405 – 33–277 Broadway Street East, Yorkton
