Government of Saskatchewan's Lean contract comes to an end

The Saskatchewan government's controversial Lean contract with consultant John Black ended on Tuesday.

Black was brought in to make the health care systemmore efficient.

The project cost $33 million.

• Saskatchewan Party claims $125M in savings from Lean program

Health Minister Dustin Duncan said the government will have to learn important lessons from Lean.

"We need to be vigilant about ensuring that the lessons we do learn are applied into the future," Duncan said. "That will ensure that this will have been ultimately a worthwhile exercise for us to go through."

Although Black's contract is expiring, Leaninitiatives are very much alive.

More than 200 staff are certified as "Lean Leaders."

The government asserts that efficiencies through Leanhave saved the province $125 million since 2008.

However, NDP Leader Cam Brotensaid the health regions will have to pay the price forthis budget-trimming measure.

"The whole John Black approach to Lean, which is the problem here, is carrying on and is being implemented," Broten said. "So it's about cost now being picked up by health regions and carrying on the work."

Timeline of Lean controversies

Click here to see the timeline if you're on mobile.