Alberta is advancing planning for an expanded inpatient tower at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, increasing capacity and strengthening care for children in Calgary and across the province. This investment is matched by a $2 million contribution from the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation to support planning for a new research and innovation centre, keeping Alberta at the forefront of medical research.
“Expanding Alberta Children’s Hospital ensures Alberta children have access to the care they need, improves outcomes, and supports healthier, brighter futures for families across the province.”
“This initiative will make Alberta a destination point for even more world-leading researchers and create a robust training and career pipeline hub for the next generation of child health scientists, specialists, and innovators.”
Currently, the Alberta Children’s Hospital has 141 inpatient acute care beds and 12 inpatient mental health beds. Once complete, the project will add 40 acute care beds and 10 mental health beds, increasing capacity by 32 per cent. The new Centre for Research & Innovative Care will help personalize treatment, advance precision medicine and integrate research with clinical care. This will create family-friendly spaces, improve the quality of care delivered, and support better patient outcomes.
“Our children are our future and their mental health is a priority for our government. The collaborative work and investment into the Alberta Children’s Hospital strengthens and streamlines care for young people facing mental health challenges.”
The planning process is underway for the inpatient tower expansion project, with the business and functional planning phase of the project initiated in September 2025. The Centre for Research & Innovative Care will be developed in partnership with Alberta Health Services, Alberta Children’s Hospital, University of Calgary and Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.
“Investing in modern, purpose-built health infrastructure is essential to meeting the needs of Alberta’s growing youth population. These forward-thinking projects will add capacity and optimize space within the existing hospital, allowing Alberta’s doctors and nurses to continue to provide the best care for our children.”
“This is part of a long-term strategic vision. The community helped build the new hospital, then a child-focused research institute. The centre will unite clinicians and researchers, saving and improving more children's lives through innovation.”
These investments demonstrate Alberta’s leadership in pediatric care and its commitment to ensuring children have access to the critical health services they need.
Quick facts
- The Alberta Children’s Hospital is one of the largest children’s hospitals in the prairie provinces.
- More than 75,000 children are seen at the emergency department annually and the facility performs more than 10,000 surgeries annually, with about 20 per cent occurring on an emergency basis.
- The Alberta Children’s Hospital provides care to more than 100,000 children and their families every year and the demand for specialized care is increasing.
- The planning phase for the bed expansion project will establish timelines for construction and completion, and no disruptions to services or patients are expected.
- The Calgary corridor has a population of about 1.9 million people. The corridor’s population is expected to increase by more than 500,000 by 2038. In 2024, about 21 per cent of the corridor’s population was under the age of 18.
Related news
- Site selected for a stand-alone Stollery Hospital (Nov. 24, 2025)
- Budget 2025: Increasing hospital capacity | Budget de 2025 : Augmenter la capacité d’hospitalisation | alberta.ca (March 6, 2025)