EDMONTON — Confidential draft legislation obtained by the Globe and Mail outlines plans by the Alberta Government to bring two-tier health care to Alberta. The amendments would establish an unprecedented model whereby physicians could privately charge patients for insured care services, while simultaneously billing the public health care system.

EDMONTON — Yesterday, UCP MLAs voted to reject an extension on the Auditor General’s contract, while he is actively investigating major allegations of government corruption in Alberta’s private surgical contracts. It’s now unclear if Auditor General Doug Wylie will be able to complete his investigation and report into these corruption allegations before his term ends in April 2026.

EDMONTON — Today, after months of delays, the Alberta government is finally supposed to receive the final report from Justice Wyant’s third-party investigation into the allegations of corruption and interference in Alberta’s surgical procurement and contracting processes.

EDMONTON — Earlier today, the Premier released new mandate letters for the four ministers now responsible for pieces of our public health care system.

EDMONTON — This morning, the Alberta NDP Opposition Caucus released a leaked copy of an internal cabinet document showing the provincial government has been working on a plan to rollback Albertans’ drug benefits. The proposal shows that an average senior couple would pay hundreds, or even thousands of dollars more per year for their medications under this new scheme, costing Albertans up to $400 million dollars more out of pocket for their prescriptions.

EDMONTON — Today, after months of waiting, the Alberta government is finally supposed to receive an interim report from Justice Wyant’s investigation into the allegations of corruption and interference in Alberta’s health care procurement and contracting processes. The report was initially due on May 30, but instead the Deputy Minister of Justice, an unelected bureaucrat, was sent out to quietly announce a months-long delay in the report.

Guest blog by Dr. Ginetta Salvalaggio (Professor at the University of Alberta Department of Family Medicine) and Petra Schulz, (Disability rights advocate).

TLDR

• The Government of Alberta is cutting its budget at the expense of its most vulnerable residents.
• Starting July 2026, all of the 77,000 AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) recipients will be moved to the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP), which is employment focused.
• To get back on AISH, those unable to work will be required to reapply with a full medical form completed by a physician—a significant administrative burden for overworked physicians.
• ADAP provides the same health benefits as AISH, but provides $200 less income per month ($1,740 per month vs. the 2025 AISH rate of $1,940).
• Employment earning exemptions will drop from $1000 per month to $350 under both programs.
• Effective 2025, Alberta is the only province to claw back the $200 per month from the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB).

EDMONTON — As we head into mid-July, Alberta now has higher measles cases per capita than anywhere else in North America. Dozens of emergency rooms and health care facilities are experiencing closures due to chronic short staffing, while the government’s restructuring and privatization agenda continues to create chaos for health care workers and patients.

EDMONTON — Yesterday, an important new report was released by the Parkland Institute entitled, “Undervalued and Overstretched: Inequity, Discrimination, and the Crisis Facing Alberta’s Allied Health-Care Workforce.” It outlines the conditions driving widespread burnout and retention issues among Alberta’s health care workers.

EDMONTON — This afternoon, Premier Danielle Smith announced that her government would be ‘decentralizing health care decision-making.’ The new structure will require individual hospitals to hold responsibility for decisions around staff, resources and services, rather than Alberta Health Services.