Alberta’s Acute Care Action Plan is moving forward and beginning to deliver improvements for patients. The plan will add more than 1,000 new hospital beds, deliver 50,000 more surgeries, and improve patient flow so Albertans can access care faster.
These investments strengthen emergency, surgical and inpatient care right now, while laying the foundation for long-term stability across the health system.
More hospital beds and better access to surgery
Major upgrades are underway in Edmonton and Calgary, including new bed towers at Grey Nuns, Misericordia and South Health Campus hospitals. These projects will add more than 1,000 new acute care beds and help ease pressure in emergency rooms as they come online.
Over the next three years, Alberta will deliver 50,000 additional surgeries by expanding operating room capacity through chartered surgical facilities. This work is underway and will help reduce wait times.
Improving patient flow and supporting community care
Targeted investments at the Royal Alexandra Hospital will improve triage and help patients move through the system more efficiently.
The plan also increases community care supports with new psychiatric beds and the conversion of 30 temporary beds into permanent spaces. This will reduce emergency room congestion and help Albertans in crisis get the right support faster.
Work is also underway to expand continuing care and strengthen coordination between hospitals and community services so patients can get the right care in the right place.
Preparing for the future
While early improvements are underway, the plan also sets out long-term priorities, including:
- Expanding surgical access and reducing wait times
- Modernizing emergency medical services
- Improving discharge planning and patient flow
- Supporting health care workers
- Diverting patients from emergency rooms with stronger primary and community care
- Developing a long-term capital strategy for clinics, hospitals and community health facilities
These steps will build a stronger, more resilient health system that meets Alberta’s needs today and for decades to come.
Quick facts
- 318,920 surgeries were completed in 2024–25, exceeding the target
- Alberta performs better than the national average in four major wait-time areas
- Alberta has 12,769 physicians, up 643 from last year
- Physician growth is now outpacing population growth
- Alberta currently has 8,764 acute care beds, with more than 1,000 more on the way
Premier Danielle Smith and the United Conservatives are fixing the problems the NDP left behind and building a health system that actually works for Alberta families.
