In November 2023, the province began refocusing the health care system to provide better care to Albertans, regardless of where they live. Since then, significant progress continues to be made, with Acute Care Alberta becoming operational on April 1. As Alberta Health Services transitions from a health authority to a service delivery provider under this new agency, Alberta’s government is taking additional steps to ensure the health care system, and emergency health services, are efficient and effective across the province.
To support these efforts, Alberta’s government will transfer emergency health services from Alberta Health Services (AHS) to Acute Care Alberta, invest further in emergency medical services (EMS), and establish a shared services entity to support provincial health agencies and service providers. These changes will enhance specialized expertise, improve care and focus, and strengthen this vital component of the health care system.
“From the beginning of our refocusing efforts, we’ve emphasized the importance of creating organizations dedicated to specific sectors, allowing health care workers to focus on what they do best. By moving emergency health services to Acute Care Alberta, I am confident it will receive the focused attention needed to deliver the care Albertans deserve.”
“We are progressing significantly toward making Acute Care Alberta operational, and I’m pleased to see this important step moving forward. These changes will help refocus emergency health services to better meet the needs of Albertans and ensure improved access to the best health care possible.”
Under the oversight of Acute Care Alberta, emergency health services will work to enhance emergency care and improve system efficiency, patient safety and response times in all parts of the province. Emergency health services in the refocused health care system will also be accountable for driving system improvements and meeting performance targets, concentrating on workforce sustainability and well-being for both staff and patients to better serve Albertans.
“Emergency health services is the first line of care for Albertans in times of crisis. By moving EHS under Acute Care Alberta, supported by dedicated expertise and resources, we are empowering our teams to provide the highest-quality care when and where it’s needed most. This structure respects the excellent work of our paramedics and dispatchers and will ensure Albertans can count on timely, expert emergency services.”
Driving investments in emergency services
While the oversight of emergency health services will be changing, fast and reliable emergency care will always remain vital. Quick response times and dependable transportation can make all the difference in saving lives and improving health outcomes, which is why reducing emergency response times, strengthening EMS capacity and supporting paramedics on the front lines remains a top priority for Alberta’s government.
To ensure Albertans receive the life-saving care they need without delay, Alberta’s government has increased funding for EMS by $56 million through Budget 2025, if passed. This includes equipping paramedics with state-of-the-art vehicles to deliver emergency care as quickly and effectively as possible.
If passed, Budget 2025 will also provide an additional $40 million towards a total investment of $60 million over three years to the EMS Vehicles Capital Program. This funding will be used to replace vehicles that have reached the end of their life cycles and ensure that the fleet is properly updated and equipped to meet the needs of Albertans.
This investment will support efforts to decrease response times by improving fleet reliability, which will help ensure that patients can be transported quickly to emergency rooms, urgent care centres or specialized care facilities. With upgraded vehicles and equipment, paramedics will be equipped with the reliable state-of-the-art tools they need to continue delivering life-saving care to Albertans across the province.
“Maintaining an effective EMS fleet is paramount to providing care to Albertans. We appreciate the commitment from the Alberta government to ensuring our ambulances and equipment are ready to provide the best service across the province.”
Strengthening EMS allows Alberta’s health care professionals to focus on providing high-quality care rather than dealing with delays or aging equipment. A more efficient EMS system means fewer delays, fewer complications and a stronger, more resilient health care system for all Albertans.
With these upgrades, Alberta is laying the foundation for a health care system that can handle the demands of a growing population, improve response times and ensure that Albertans across the province receive timely, high-quality care when they need it most.
“The association applauds the government’s continued commitment to EMS infrastructure. These investments are a positive step forward and will significantly contribute to the enhancement of Alberta’s front-line paramedics to meet the ever-growing service demands for high-quality care.”
Shared services entity will support provincial health agencies
In addition to strengthening emergency health services within the refocused system, Alberta’s government is planning to establish a shared services entity to provide support for Alberta’s entire health care system, including provincial health agencies and service providers. As an independent entity, it will provide necessary services like information technology, finance and human resources functions, along with centralized communications functions like web, digital communications and marketing.
Additionally, this area will handle IT services in Alberta’s health care system, ensuring patients have a seamless journey throughout the health care system and health care workers have system-wide access to critical patient information to determine the best care possible. It’s expected the shared services entity will be stood up and operational in summer 2025.
Throughout the refocusing work, Albertans are accessing health care as they always have, and Alberta’s government remains committed to ensuring there are no impacts to front-line health care workers and their continued dedication to delivering excellent health care to Albertans.
Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.
Quick facts
- All vehicles approved as ambulances under an ambulance operator’s licence are required to have regular safety and mechanical inspections and are subject to a preventative maintenance schedule.
- As of February 2025, Alberta Health Services’ EMS fleet includes 617 in-service ambulances and 45 support vehicles. Vehicles are replaced when they reach established life cycle targets. These include vehicle age (six years) and mileage (280,000 kilometres).
Related news
- Refocusing continuing care for the future (Jan. 30, 2025)
- Refocused health care: Continuing the conversation (Jan. 9, 2025)
- Refocusing acute care leadership for the future (Jan. 8, 2025)
- Ensuring a successfully refocused system (Nov. 18, 2024)
- Leading primary care into the future (Oct. 15, 2024)