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Alberta

Alberta budget announces record high health spending including money for new and redeveloped hospitals

Published

3 years ago

8 minute read

Alberta’s government is providing another year of record-high investment, with $24.5 billion in the Ministry of Health’s operating expense this year, an increase of 4.1 per cent from last year. This new funding will focus on addressing areas of priority in the Healthcare Action Plan to improve the health-care services Albertans expect and deserve. In addition, Alberta’s primary health-care system is being strengthened and modernized with a record investment of $243 million over three years.

Budget 2023 provides $3.1 billion in capital funding over three years to further build up Alberta’s valuable health-care infrastructure, an additional $529 million in capital maintenance and renewal for health facilities and a further $732 million in self-financed funding. The $3.1 billion includes funding for the redevelopment and expansion of the Red Deer Regional Hospital, increasing critical services and capacity in one of Alberta’s largest hospitals.

Additionally, $18 million over three years is for further planning for proposed health capital projects across the province, including the stand-alone Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, a north Calgary/Airdrie regional health centre, expansion of the Strathcona Community Hospital, and new or upgraded facilities in Bassano, Cardston and Whitecourt.

A total of $237 million over three years will go towards the Alberta Surgical Initiative Capital Program, with $120 million in new funding to expand and modernize operating rooms in 15 communities across the province and reduce wait times for surgeries.

The new Health Workforce Strategy will help get Albertans the care they need, when and where they need it. Budget 2023 includes $158 million in 2023-24 to retain and support, attract, grow, strengthen and evolve the health-care workforce, including physicians and nurses.

“Building a resilient and responsive health-care system that meets the needs of Albertans is essential to keeping our province healthy. This is why Budget 2023 includes another record-high health-care investment, so we can put the right health-care professionals, resources and services where they are needed most.”

Jason Copping, Minister of Health

Budget 2023 invests in emergency medical services (EMS) to improve ambulance response times. An increase of $196 million over three years will help hire more staff and implement recommendations from the Alberta EMS Provincial Advisory Committee. A new capital program will provide $15 million over three years to put more ambulances on the road.

As part of the initiative to improve primary health care, Alberta’s government is investing more than $2 billion in 2023-24. This includes $243 million over three years to strengthen the province’s primary care system, including implementing the recommendations from the three advisory panels of Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS) established in fall 2022. These recommendations will inform the government’s immediate next steps and a path forward over the next five to 10 years.

“Investing in health care is not just a cost, it’s an investment in our future. By increasing critical health-care capacity, we can ensure that our health-care system is equipped to meet the needs of our citizens and provide the highest quality of care possible.”

Travis Toews, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance

“Over the next three years, Alberta’s government is investing $23 billion into public infrastructure through the 2023 Capital Plan. By building and revitalizing hospitals, schools, courthouses and other public facilities, we are investing in the critical infrastructure projects that Albertans need and help keep people working.”

Nathan Neudorf, Minister of Infrastructure

Budget 2023 includes nearly $4.3 billion in combined operating support for community care, continuing care and home care programs, an increase of more than 15 per cent, or $570 million from the 2022-23 forecast. An investment of $1 billion over three years will support continuing care transformation that will shift care to the community, enhance workforce capacity, increase choice and innovation, and improve the quality of care within the sector. In addition, there is $310 million over three years for the Continuing Care Capital Program, which supports modernizing continuing care facilities, developing innovative small care homes, providing culturally appropriate care for Indigenous Peoples and building new spaces in priority communities having the greatest need.

Budget 2023 includes operating expense of $148 million in 2023-24 for the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction. In addition, it supports Alberta Health Services with additional funding to reduce wait times for mental health and addiction services and address gaps in the system. Alberta spends more than $1 billion per year on mental health and addiction programs and services, excluding physician billings. Over the next three years, Alberta’s government will also invest $155 million in capital funding to continue building holistic, long-term recovery communities where Albertans will be able to access detox services, treatment medications, peer support, and help with skills and training.

“Alberta has emerged as a national leader in building out recovery-oriented systems of care for addiction and mental health. The historic investments included in Budget 2023 will help us further expand treatment and recovery services, enabling us to support more Albertans in their pursuit of recovery.”

Nicholas Milliken, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction

Budget 2023 highlights

  • $6.2 billion budgeted in 2023-24, increasing to more than $6.4 billion by 2025-26 for physician compensation and development programs.
  • More than $250 million over four years (beginning in 2022-23) for recruitment and retention programs under the agreement with the Alberta Medical Association so more Albertans can access family doctors, and to provide more support to help physicians keep their clinics open and running.
  • More than $2 billion per year for Drugs and Supplemental Health benefit programs. The Seniors Drug program budget is the largest component of this suite of programs, with $693 million budgeted in 2023-24, supporting more than 700,000 seniors.
  • More than $2 billion in 2023-24 to support primary care in Alberta, including payments to family doctors.
  • $125 million over three years as an initial investment, providing funding for early opportunities to improve primary care identified through the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care Systems (MAPS) initiative.

Budget 2023 secures Alberta’s bright future by transforming the health-care system to meet people’s needs, supporting Albertans with the high cost of living, keeping our communities safe and driving the economy with more jobs, quality education and continued diversification.

Related Topics:

This is a news release from the Government of Alberta.

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Alberta

Alberta teachers to vote on tentative agreement with province

Published on September 25, 2025

By

President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner issued the following statement about the ongoing negotiations with TEBA and the ATA:

“Last Friday, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) made an offer to the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA). Both parties have agreed to form a tentative agreement based on shared priorities and members will vote on the tentative agreement in the coming days.

“My thanks to both parties for their work in developing a tentative agreement that reflects elements that are good for teachers and the education system, as a whole.

“Alberta’s government is investing nearly $10 billion, the largest investment in the province’s history, to support the province’s teachers and students. On top of that, we’re putting $8.6 billion into building and renovating over 130 schools so students have safe, modern spaces to learn. Alberta’s government has also committed to hiring 3,000 additional teachers to reduce class sizes and support student learning.

“If ratified, this deal will form the basis for labour stability in the province and will be a positive path forward for a successful school year for our kids. Out of respect for the ratification process, I won’t get into the specifics of the deal, but I will say the tentative agreement is strong on classroom investment.

“At this time, both TEBA and I have no further comments.”

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Alberta

Alberta pro-lifers demand protections for infants born alive after failed abortions

Published on September 24, 2025

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From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

Prolife Alberta’s ‘Left to Die’ campaign demands protections for the hundreds of babies born alive after failed abortions, urging policy changes to ensure they receive medical care.

Prolife Alberta has launched a campaign to demand protections for children born alive after failed abortions.

The organization announced a new initiative titled “Left to Die,” which seeks to expose Alberta’s current policy that leaves babies born alive after botched abortions to die without care.

“LeftToDie.ca shines a light on a tragedy most Albertans don’t even know is happening: babies being born alive after failed abortions and left to die without care,” a Prolife Alberta spokesperson told LifeSiteNews.

“Using official government data, we are exposing this hidden reality and mobilizing grassroots citizens to press Alberta’s elected officials to act,” the spokesperson continued. “Our goal is to see AHS policies revised so this practice can no longer continue, and to establish clear protections ensuring that every child born alive — no matter the circumstances — receives the same right to medical care and comfort as any other newborn.”

According to official data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), which is the federal agency in charge of reporting the nation’s health data, in 2023-2024, there were a staggering 133 late-term abortions in Alberta. Of these, 28 babies were born alive after the abortion and left to die.

This fact was recently exposed in an opinion piece published by the Western Standard from Richard Dur, who serves as the executive director of Prolife Alberta.

However, so far, Alberta officially has failed to introduce legislation to protect babies born alive after abortions despite knowing about the situation.

As Prolife Alberta pointed out, “twenty-five years ago, as a columnist for the Calgary Herald, Danielle Smith exposed the horror of babies being born alive after failed abortions and left to die – a ‘horrific practice,’ in her own words.”

“Today, as Premier of Alberta, she is in a position not just to write about this injustice — but to end it,” the organization explained. “Every day adds to 25 years of silence since that article was published. Her silence — and that of her government — sustains the policy.”

“Regardless of where one stands on abortion, life after birth should matter to all of us,” Prolife Alberta told LifeSiteNews. “To deny a living child even the most basic medical care — merely because of the circumstances of their birth — is a profound moral failure.”

“These human beings have survived an attempt on their life in the womb, only to be abandoned to death outside it,” the organization continued. “Revising health policies that permit this would not regulate or restrict abortion in any way, but it could save a newborn child’s life.”

As reported by LifeSiteNews recently, 150 babies were born after botched abortions in 2023-2024 in Canada. However, it’s not known how many survived.

Similarly, reports from 2018 have indicated that 766 babies were born alive after late-term abortions in Canada between 2013 and 2018 and presumably left to die.

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