Alberta goverment weakening the public health care system: provincial employees union

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It continued, “There are simply not enough workers to keep our hospitals and care centres operating as they should. The government is artificially creating a demand by dismantling public health care, weakening the system so patients in pain look for help elsewhere. “

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The union, in a bold characterization called it cold, cynical, and greedy.

“It’s not what Albertans want. We deserve a health-care system that works for all Albertans and that treats them according to their health-care needs, not according to their ability to pay out of pocket,” the statement concluded.

On June 18, 2026, the Alberta government announced that through clearly established safeguards and a robust governance framework, the dual practice model is designed to improve access, expand care options for Albertans, and attract and retain physicians by offering more flexibility in how they practise while maintaining publicly funded care.

Government officials say eligible procedures will include those already accredited by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta for these facilities, such as orthopedic procedures, hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery, select ear, nose and throat procedures, gynecological surgeries, dermatology, plastic surgery, and minimally invasive general surgeries such as hernia repair.

The province says family physicians will not be eligible to participate, except those with subspecialties in anesthesia or surgical assistance. According to the government, emergency and life-saving services, including cancer care, will remain exclusively publicly funded.

The government says the dual practice framework will enable surgical procedures to be performed in accredited chartered surgical facilities and hospitals. Hospital and Surgical Health Services and Acute Care Alberta are said to be working to build a model that supports hospital-based dual practice to leverage underutilized operating rooms.

Officials say Primary and Preventative Health Services and Hospital and Surgical Health Services will oversee the implementation of dual practice. Under their guidance, Acute Care Alberta will set minimum public surgery hour requirements, conduct regular reviews and report on system performance, with further adjustments made as needed to protect public system capacity. The exact hour requirements and processes will be determined in the coming months, based on level of interest and system need.

“There is no health care without health-care professionals,” said HSAA President Leanne Alfaro. “We have a finite number of skilled people delivering care in Alberta today. This policy risks pulling these essential professionals away from the public system.”

“This will further strain an already stretched workforce and Albertans who cannot pay extra for care, will feel it through increased worker shortages that may lead to cancelled surgeries and further delays,” she continued. “Albertans already pay for health care, why are we being asked to pay again?”  

HSAA says the focus should remain on strengthening the public system by retaining health-care professionals, investing in recruitment, education, and training, filling vacancies, reducing burnout and ensuring health-care expertise informs decisions about how services are delivered. 

“Albertans care deeply about our public health-care system,” said Alfaro. “This policy puts that system at risk for Albertans who depend on it every day.”