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Modelling & Forecasting

Personal Support Worker Microsimulation – Headcounts

Welcome to our Personal Support Worker (PSW) modelling and scenario-testing tool—an open-source foundation model the modelling community can leverage and further develop to enable health workforce modellers, health system leaders, and education planners better anticipate the supply of PSWs needed to care for Canadians.

This model allows users to test the relative impact of alternative population growth scenarios on future PSW supply, by jurisdiction and care setting, up to 2048. There are two versions of this forecasting tool: the version on this page estimates PSW headcounts, the second version located here, estimates PSW full-time equivalents (FTEs).

Have questions or looking for information on how to use this PSW forecasting tool? Please visit the FAQ or user guide. A guided tutorial is coming soon.

For optimal performance, we recommend using this platform on a web browser rather than on a mobile device.

PSW Target Ratios by Province and Territory
Unique Scenario
Comparison Scenario
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Medium-growth 4

Province/Territory PSW rate (number of PSWs per 100 persons aged 75 years and older) Total PSW Count
Home Care Residential Care Hospital
Alberta
3.0
6.4
2.9
British Columbia
2.3
4.4
3.1
Manitoba
3.9
7.6
6.0
New Brunswick
4.1
6.7
2.0
Newfoundland and Labrador
12.1
3.6
3.2
Nova Scotia
3.7
7.7
1.9
Ontario
2.4
5.3
1.4
Prince Edward Island
1.0
8.2
3.4
Quebec
1.9
3.1
4.9
Saskatchewan
1.7
8.6
5.1
Yukon *
7.8
7.1
7.1
Nunavut *
7.8
7.1
7.1
Northwest Territories *
7.8
7.1
7.1
Canada
2.6
5.0
3.0

* Territorial PSW-to-population ratios reflect aggregated territorial PSW estimates because care setting level values on the number of PSWs in the three territories could not be released due to confidentiality and data quality concerns. As such, the PSW-to-population ratios for each territory were set to be the same as the ratios for all three territories combined. The total PSW count for each territory is based on the LFS that was available and releasable in 2024.

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We acknowledge that we live and work on the traditional territories of many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We are grateful to the people who have cared for the land for centuries and the current stewards who care for it today. We recognize and celebrate the strength and resilience of Indigenous health workers. We embrace the opportunity to support the advancement of cultural safety for all those who provide care and those they care for.

Who we are

Health Workforce Canada was established in 2023 to strengthen health workforce data and planning to ensure health workers are there to provide the care people need.

We bring people together to identify what works and what doesn’t in health workforce data, planning, policy and care. Through our efforts, we are contributing to a cost-effective and sustainable health care system.

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