Alberta has pledged billions for health care, but new hospital towers are still years away

As the Alberta government promises to relieve pressure on hospitals and improve surgical wait times, while also grappling with a budget deficit, there are questions about where it is choosing to spend its money.

The provincial budget tabled late last month includes total health-care spending of $34.4 billion.

“We know that too many Albertans are waiting longer than medically recommended for surgery and other essential health care,” said Matt Jones, Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services.

“At the same time, population growth and aging demographics are placing increasing pressure on our acute care system.”

Jones highlighted details of the government’s spending plans for acute care at a news conference in Calgary on Tuesday.

If passed, 2026 provincial budget According to Jones, this will include $13.8 billion for the operation and expansion of hospital and surgical systems, which represents an increase of about $1.7 billion from the previous year.

That funding will assist in staffing, surgeries, emergency services, diagnostics and hospital upgrades.

Pressure has increased on the Alberta government to address overcrowded hospitals, overcrowded ERs and increasing surgical waits.

This year’s budget dedicates $4.9 billion to health infrastructure, an increase of $1.3 billion from last year. budget document State.

The capital funding plan for the Ministry of Hospital and Surgical Health Services (one of four health-related ministries in the province) is $1.4 billion over three years.

“It supports major hospital maintenance and upgrades in both urban and rural areas of the province and includes significant investments in diagnostic imaging, medical device reprocessing and emergency health services fleet procurement and upgrades,” the province said in a news release.

According to the government, the funding includes $315 million for rural and remote hospitals and $63 million over two years (including $50 million in new funding) to plan and develop underserved and vacant hospital spaces.

No money for construction of hospital towers

While the Alberta government has repeatedly promised more hospital beds, the budget shows a key commitment outlined in November is years away from being fulfilled.

As share of acute care action planThe province said three new inpatient towers in Edmonton and Calgary will add more than 1,000 beds between the two cities.

Towers are planned for the Gray Nuns and Misericordia hospitals in Edmonton and the South Health campus in Calgary.

If passed, the budget would allocate $7.22 million over two years for the in-patient tower plan at Gray Nuns and Misericordia hospitals in Edmonton.

But no money has been earmarked for construction over the next three years. And there is no mention of the South Health Campus project capital planning.

“Where’s the funding? What’s the timeline? What’s the plan for staffing them once they open? When is all this happening?” said Chris Galloway, executive director of Friends of Medicare.

“It’s easy to promise a thousand beds. What’s the plan to actually deliver them?”

CBC News asked the ministry for more information about the tower’s construction, including a timeline.

“These towers will add 350 beds to each hospital, increasing patient capacity and facilitating timely access to acute care,” press secretary Kyle Warner said in an email in reference to the two Edmonton projects.

According to Warner, planning funds are used to define the project scope, refine design requirements, and develop cost estimates.

“Construction funding is usually considered in future budgets when projects reach the advanced stage of planning. The timeline for opening will depend on the completion of the design, final project scope and necessary construction approvals,” he said.

According to Warner, planning for the South Health Campus project is ongoing.

“The construction timeline will be confirmed once planning has progressed and funding has been approved,” he said.

That means the promised towers, and the much-needed beds they will add, won’t be completed for years, said Dr. Braden Mannes, a professor of medical and health economics at the University of Calgary.

“We’re not talking two years away. We’re talking several years away. And Edmonton can’t wait that long to get more hospital beds,” he said.

According to Mains, the budget is not in line with the government’s message.

“I’m not surprised but I think it shows the level of commitment from the government,” he said.

“We need to see some solid investment and we’re not seeing that.”

Mains said the majority of ER gridlock in Alberta is due to the backlog of admitted patients who cannot be moved out of the department because there are not enough beds in the wards.

Often there are large numbers of hospital beds filled with patients waiting for a place in a care home.

The budget also includes $923 million for the Continuing Care Capital Program, “to expand continuing care capacity across the province”, which falls under the Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services.

The largest health infrastructure project is the ongoing redevelopment of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Center, which will cost more than $1 billion over three years.

It is also budgeted to bring in $59 million over three years Long-awaited cardiac catheterization lab in Lethbridge and improved ICU capacity in the South Region.

An additional $5 million has been earmarked for the redevelopment plan at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and $38 million for the Stollery Children’s Hospital plan.

The budget also includes $330 million over three years for surgical device reprocessing upgrades, among other projects.

money for more surgeries

The Alberta government is also facing calls to address surgical wait times.

The government is promising $525 million over three years to fulfill a promise made in November to increase the number of surgeries by 50,000 using chartered surgical facilities.

According to the province, 318,920 surgeries were performed in 2024-25 and 330,000 surgeries are expected in 2025-26.

“This increase in surgeries will not only help address long waiting lists for common procedures, but will also help increase the number of patients seen and treated under clinical guidelines,” said David Diamond, interim CEO of Acute Care Alberta.

Galloway, with Friends of Medicare, questions where that funding will go.

“Our assumption is that this will mostly be at private surgical centres,” he said.

“Is this the best way to get more surgeries done and will they actually be able to achieve their goals?”

According to Jones, the province intends to move forward with a 30-year acute care workforce plan that will include a workforce forecast, action plan and framework for implementation.

The government will do this in partnership with Acute Care Alberta and will consult with regulatory colleges, post-secondary institutions and organizations such as the Alberta Medical Association (AMA), he said.