Alberta
Alberta announces one-time funding for family doctors to help manage patients
Stabilizing Alberta’s primary health care system
Alberta’s government is delivering on a commitment to provide funding to help family doctors with their administrative costs so they can devote more time to seeing patients.
Primary care is the foundation of Alberta’s health care system, and family physicians are fundamental to Albertans getting the care they need when and where they need it. That’s why Alberta’s government is pulling out all the stops to stabilize, strengthen and improve Alberta’s primary health care system.
The additional one-time funding has been provided to the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) as part of a December 2023 commitment of $200 million over two years to stabilize primary health care. The AMA will distribute the funding to eligible family physicians and rural generalists.
“We heard what primary care physicians told us about the challenges they are facing, and we’ve taken action to address those challenges. Alberta’s government is pleased to provide this one-time funding to support family physicians and rural generalists until a new physician comprehensive care model is introduced.”
Approximately 3,000 family doctors are eligible to receive transition funding of $24,000 to $40,000. The amount a family physician and rural generalist will receive depends on the number of patients they have.
The funding is a one-time payment aimed at helping family doctors and rural generalists until a new compensation model is in place. It will be used for administrative and equipment costs related to the number of patients they manage.
“We are grateful that this funding will help family and rural generalist physicians remain in comprehensive, life-long care as we move to the next phase of collaboration with the minister and her team. For this stabilization investment to reap benefits for Albertans, we must rapidly implement the new payment model that will allow comprehensive care to flourish across the province.”
This funding is enabled through the new Canada-Alberta Health Funding Agreement with the federal government. The agreement represents a total of about $1.1 billion in additional health care funding over three years for shared priorities.
Quick facts
- Stabilization funding is a transitional measure identified through work under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the minister of health and the Alberta Medical Association that was signed in fall 2023.
- In December, $200 million over two years was announced to help stabilize primary care. This includes the $92 million announced April 4 and $8 million for the residency incentive program.
- Other recently announced supports for primary health care include:
- Providing ongoing base compensation for primary care physicians that is expected to be more than $2.3 billion in 2024-25.
- Committing to create a primary-care organization within the refocused provincial health care system to co-ordinate primary health care services and provide transparent provincial oversight, with the goal of ensuring every Albertan will have a family physician or primary care provider.
- Investing $40 million over two years to support Primary Care Networks.
- Investing $12 million for the Community Information Integration and Central Patient Attachment Registry, enabling doctors and their teams to share patient information from their electronic medical record to Alberta Netcare.
- Committing to implement recommendations from the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System initiative through a phased approach.
- Creating a primary health care division within Alberta Health.
Alberta
Fortis et Liber: Alberta’s Future in the Canadian Federation
From the C2C Journal
By Barry Cooper, professor of political science, University of Calgary
Canada’s western lands, wrote one prominent academic, became provinces “in the Roman sense” – acquired possessions that, once vanquished, were there to be exploited. Laurentian Canada regarded the hinterlands as existing primarily to serve the interests of the heartland. And the current holders of office in Ottawa often behave as if the Constitution’s federal-provincial distribution of powers is at best advisory, if it needs to be acknowledged at all. Reviewing this history, Barry Cooper places Alberta’s widely criticized Sovereignty Act in the context of the Prairie provinces’ long struggle for due constitutional recognition and the political equality of their citizens. Canada is a federation, notes Cooper. Provinces do have rights. Constitutions do mean something. And when they are no longer working, they can be changed.
Alberta
30 million contraband cigarettes valued at $25 million dollars seized in Alberta
New release from Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC)
Record setting contraband tobacco seizures result from AGLC investigations
Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) recently concluded several investigations which netted two of the largest contraband tobacco seizures in Alberta history. The combined total of the contraband tobacco seized was 154,800 cartons of contraband cigarettes (30.7 million individual cigarettes). These seizures are a result of the work conducted by AGLC’s Tobacco Enforcement Unit with the assistance of provincial law enforcement agencies.
- In a January 2024 investigation, approximately 43,500 cartons (8.7 million individual cigarettes) were seized. This equates to $7 million in retail value with a provincial tax avoidance of $2.4 million. This included the seizure of 15,000 grams of contraband shisha.
- In April of 2024, 60 wrapped pallets were seized from a warehouse setting netting a total of 111,300 cartons of contraband cigarettes (22 million individual cigarettes) which equates to over $18 million in retail value with a provincial tax avoidance of $6.6 million.
- Criminal Charges are pending in both cases.
“These are significant contraband tobacco investigations involving individuals that are part of organized networks whose proceeds defraud Albertans millions of dollars in tax revenue. AGLC will continue to work with our partners to investigate and disrupt the individuals and organizations involved in these illegal activities as part our commitment to a strong contraband tobacco enforcement program in Alberta.”
- Gary Peck, Vice President, Regulatory Services, AGLC
“Contraband tobacco hurts law abiding businesses that follow the rules, and it costs Albertans millions each year from lost tax revenue. Our government is committed to keeping illegal tobacco off the streets and ensuring that the sale of tobacco products comply with the law.”
- Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction
Over the last nine months, AGLC’s Tobacco Enforcement unit has seized an estimated 35 million contraband cigarettes and 115,000 grams of contraband shisha from across the province. The total potential lost tax revenue is estimated to be more than $10.1 million.
Contraband tobacco:
- is any tobacco product that does not comply with federal and provincial laws related to importation, marking, manufacturing, stamping and payment of duties and taxes;
- comes from four main sources: illegal manufacturers, counterfeits, tax-exempt diversions and resale of stolen legal tobacco; and
- can be recognized by the absence of a red (Alberta) or peach/light tan (Canada) stamp bearing the “DUTY PAID CANADA DROIT ACQUITTÉ” on packages of cigarettes and cigars or pouches of tobacco.
In addition to lost revenues that may otherwise benefit Albertans, illegally manufactured products also pose public health and safety risks as they lack regulatory controls and inspections oversight.
Albertans who suspect illegal tobacco production, packaging and/or trafficking are encouraged to contact AGLC’s Tobacco Enforcement Unit at 1-800-577-2522 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Under a Memorandum of Understanding with Alberta Treasury Board and Finance, AGLC enforces the Tobacco Tax Act and conducts criminal investigations related to the possession, distribution and trafficking of contraband tobacco products. In 2022-23, provincial revenue from tobacco taxes was approximately $522 million.
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