The Government of Alberta is investing $809 million to improve access to surgical care, reduce wait times, and strengthen the province’s health-care system.
The funding will support increased operating room availability, expanded use of chartered surgical facilities, and upgrades to hospital infrastructure across Alberta. As part of this investment, Alberta is also launching the first phase of its new patient-focused funding model, designed to modernize how surgeries are funded and delivered.
A New Approach to Funding Health Care
Under the patient-focused funding model, hospital funding will be linked to the number of patients treated and the complexity of the care they receive. Rather than relying solely on traditional block funding, resources will follow the patient, helping ensure hospitals are funded based on the care they provide.
The goal is to improve access to surgical services, increase efficiency, and help Albertans receive treatment sooner.
The first phase of the program has been introduced in 12 hospitals and focuses on high-demand procedures such as:
- Hip replacements
- Knee replacements
- Cataract surgeries
- Select shoulder surgeries
This approach has been successfully used in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Norway. Alberta will continue to evaluate the results before expanding the model to additional procedures and facilities.
Expanding Surgical Capacity
Through Budget 2026, Alberta is investing $525 million over the next three years through its Acute Care Action Plan.
This funding will support up to 50,000 additional surgeries by:
- Expanding operating room capacity in public hospitals
- Increasing the use of chartered surgical facilities for lower-complexity procedures
- Freeing up hospital resources for patients requiring more complex surgical care
- Improving patient flow throughout the health-care system
These measures are expected to reduce wait times while helping more Albertans receive care within recommended timelines.
Investing in Hospitals and Equipment
An additional $284 million will be invested over three years through the Alberta Surgical Initiative Capital Program.
This funding will be used to:
- Renovate and modernize operating rooms
- Upgrade surgical infrastructure
- Purchase new medical equipment
- Expand long-term surgical capacity in publicly owned hospitals
These improvements will help hospitals deliver care more efficiently while preparing the health-care system to meet future demand.
Record Surgical Volumes
Alberta completed a record 332,847 surgeries during the last fiscal year, surpassing both its annual target and the previous year’s total. Surgical activity continued to grow throughout the year, reaching a record monthly high of 24,676 procedures in March 2026.
Of the surgeries completed in 2025:
- 264,823 (79.6%) were performed in acute care hospitals.
- 68,024 (20.4%) were completed in chartered surgical facilities.
Looking Ahead
The province says these investments will help strengthen Alberta’s publicly funded health-care system by expanding capacity, improving efficiency, and ensuring more Albertans can access timely surgical care when they need it.
By combining infrastructure improvements, increased surgical capacity, and a modern funding approach, Alberta aims to create a health-care system that is more responsive to patients and better equipped for the future.
