On Monday, March 31, the Province announced that it will be investing $330 million over three years to support health capital projects in rural communities across the province.
Introduced in Budget 2025, this initiative will provide $15 million to support project planning, which includes “conducting facility and functional assessments of rural hospitals to determine what capital planning solutions and services are required to maximize each facility’s potential and better meet the needs of rural communities.”
The Province says that once plans for each facility are developed, they will become the blueprints for future capital planning discussions and funding decisions. “This program will expedite the time between planning and construction, so projects are completed sooner to support rural communities.”
The first phase of planning under the Rural Hospital Enhancement Program (RHEP) will evaluate 20 facilities across the province, including the Killam Health Care Centre.
Covenant Health CEO Patrick Dumalie says, “Budget 2025 enables Covenant to continue partnering with the Alberta government in refocusing the health care system. We are grateful for the opportunity to develop plans to complete capital projects are our rural facilities and expand access to quality health care for every Albertan.”
Health Minister Adriana LaGrange says, “Rural Albertans should be able to access the health care services they need close to home.
“The new Rural Hospital Enhancement Program will ensure we are continuing to make data-driven decisions, and that resources are being appropriately deployed to address the areas with the greatest need.”
The Province says that more than 18 per cent of Albertans live in rural and remote communities, and that number is expected to grow to 20 percent, from 1.06 million to 1.27 million by 2051.
Leslie Cholowsky
Editor