Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange announces funding for the Innsifail Health Centre outside its ambulance bay. (rdnewsNOW/Ashley Lavallee-Koenig)

By Ashley Lavallee-Koenig

MORE THAN $9 MILLION INVESTED

Innisfail Health Centre receives funding for ambulance bay and surgical capacity upgrades

Jun 22, 2024 | 10:29 AM

The Government of Alberta has announced an investment of at least $2 million under the Capital Maintenance and Renewal Program to upgrade the ambulance bay of the Innisfail Health Centre, plus $7.7 million through the Surgical Initiative to expand its surgical capacity.

The initial cost of upgrading the bay is $2 million, however planning is still underway so that number could increase, explained Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange.

The upgrades will expand the size of the bay doors to ensure ambulances can properly enter to load and unload patients indoors.

“Our government is continuing to prioritize the delivery of high quality reliable health care services across the province. We’re focused on expanding and modernizing facilities to ensure every Albertan receives the care they deserve when and where they need it,” she said at a news conference on June 21.

A second operating room will also be coming to the centre to expand its surgical capacity. It currently offers cataract surgery and plastic surgery.

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With a second operating room, Suzanne Telford, site manager of the centre, hopes to increase the number of cataract surgeries they can preform in a year from about 2,600 to 5,000. The centre’s medical device reprocessing will also be upgraded as more surgeries means more equipment and space needed, she added.

During the announcement, Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay said various community groups in town have been trying to get the bay upgraded since 2020.

Barclay shared her appreciation to Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Devin Dreeshen, minister of transportation and economic corridors, for continuing to pursue the project over the years and bringing it to the table with Minister LaGrange, as health services are essential to citizens.

“Alberta Health Services is one of the largest employers in our town,” Barclay shared. “It is surprising just how often I have heard from someone who has moved here that one of their top reasons for moving here is because of this centre.”

Across the province, LaGrange said the provincial government is investing $4.5 billion over three years to support capital projects, including $512.3 million for the Capital Maintenance and Renewal Funding program, to improve and enhance existing health infrastructure.

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