Saskatchewan mothers still struggling to find formula due to provincial supply shortage

Saskatchewan mothers across the province are reporting not being able to feed their babies due to a province-wide shortage on formula.

Sherry Rapley, a member of CACA Parent and Baby Group, says she sets alarms on her phone to remind her to call stores on potential restock days in hopes of them putting some formula on the shelves.

“I’m hounding them. We are all calling stores just to check, their phones must be ringing off the hook,” said Rapley.

“These are parents in the community who are desperately trying to feed their children,” MLA Aleana Young said at the Legislature Wednesday. “Any moms who formula feed will drive home the scarcity and how bare the shelves are right now.”

Regarding the infant formula shortage, the Sask. party is recommending that parents check with their pediatrician and pharmacist to identify alternatives.

“The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, as well as the SHA continue to be in contact with Health Canada,” said Minister of Rural and Remote Health Everett Hindley.

“We are doing whatever we can to be in contact with Health Canada and the manufacturers to monitor the supply levels of this specialty formula to try to make sure we ensure that that arrives in Saskatchewan as it becomes available.”

Hindley said that from what they are hearing from manufacturers, baby formula is slowly starting to reappear on shelves across the province.

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Rapley said in a Facebook post that the government’s response was not good enough.

“The response from the SK party left much to be desired,” the post read. “I’m not here to make this about political preferences, but rather to rally folks who are struggling with this issue to call on the party in power to do more to help us.”

Mothers at the Legislature on Wednesday said there is much more that the government can do.

“We would really like them to launch an investigation into what is really the hold up from the supply reaching us,” said Rapley.

“This is not unique to just the province of Saskatchewan. This is an issue right across the nation, and in fact, right across the globe,” Hindley said.

The group said they have personally been in contact with store brands like Kirkland and President’s Choice and said they have reported no supply chain issues.

“We still don’t know (why) we’re not getting them on our shelves,” said “It’s something that we ourselves can’t investigate so we need the government to get on this and help.”