EDMONTON — The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Parkland Institute jointly released a new report this morning which analyses Bill 11: the Health Statutes Amendment Act 2025 (no.2). The report titled The End of Canadian Medicare? Alberta Legislation Opens the Door to U.S. Health Care shows clearly that legislation passed by the provincial government in December is an existential threat to our treasured public health care system.
The report makes it clear that Bill 11:
- Legislates two-tier health care in Alberta – a first in Canada
- Establishes “dual practice” permitting physicians to work in the publicly funded system and private-pay market concurrently
- Creates Canada’s first private insurance market for medically necessary care – driving up health care costs
- Introduces private payment that will increases wait times
- Unbundles hospital care and opens the door for user fees
- Muddies the definition of a “hospital” and allows private, for-profit hospital operators
- Encourages the private insurance market with group insurance plans for medically necessary care
- Encourages hospitals to compete for revenue from user fees and private health insurance
- Increases the threat of U.S. control as Alberta’s private health care delivery and insurance markets are likely to attract U.S investors
- Dual physician practice and the private-pay market will require long public waits
- Is legislation that is at odds with the Canada Health Act.
You can read the full report here.
“As much as the provincial government attempts to deny it, it’s increasingly clear that what we’ve said since day one has been true: moving forward with Bill 11 is at odds with the Canada Health Act, it puts our single-payer universal health care system at risk while bringing two-tier American-style health care to Alberta,” said Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare. “But this report makes it clear that it’s not just American-style health care we are talking about, it’s American health care. Alberta is opening the door to the powerful American health care industry, including U.S. health insurance and for-profit hospital corporations, to walk in and potentially take over.”
“The government has no mandate for these changes. None if it was in their platform in the last election. No Albertan voted for any of this. If Albertans don’t want a two-tier American-style health care now is the moment to make that clear. Now is the moment to speak up and to take action,” concluded Gallaway.
Friends of Medicare urges Albertans to take action by emailing the federal health minister, writing to the provincial government, signing our petition, and by attending one of our many public town halls happening across Alberta.
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