Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025*

Summary#

• Bill 55 updates many Alberta laws to fit a new health system structure. It moves away from regional health authorities and sets clear roles for provincial health agencies and provincial health corporations.
• It creates new rules for how approved hospitals are designated and run, how ambulance services are planned, and who can declare public health emergencies.

Key changes

• Replaces “regional health authority” across laws with “provincial health agency” and “provincial health corporation,” and adds “hospital operator” (the organization that runs a hospital sector).
• Lets the Minister designate approved hospitals and name the hospital operator for each hospital sector; requires each sector to have an administrator and up‑to‑date bylaws.
• Keeps an appeal system for doctors’ hospital privileges through the Hospital Privileges Appeal Board.
• Shifts responsibility for emergency medical services (EMS/ambulances) from regional bodies to provincial health agencies or corporations, with required plans and agreements.
• Moves several public health powers (like declaring a local public health emergency) from regional bodies to the Minister; updates how medical officers of health are appointed.
• Updates privacy and information‑sharing rules under health laws; adds the Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services to certain Health Information Act provisions.
• Sets clear rules for patient discharge, transfers, and when fees can be charged (including charges for overstays after discharge).
• Allows creation or continuation of hospital and health foundations under the new structure.
• Makes many technical updates in other laws (e.g., municipal, elections, evidence, loans) to reflect the new terms.

What it means for you#

• Patients and families

  • Your care location and coverage do not change because of this bill.
  • Hospitals must have an administrator and clear bylaws about medical staff and patient care.
  • After you are declared ready for discharge or transfer, you (or a responsible person) can be required to arrange removal within 10 days. Not doing so can lead to a small fine (up to $50) and charges for each extra day you stay.
  • Transfers between facilities are set out more clearly, including who makes decisions and how.
  • Public health orders (including local public health emergencies) will now come from the Minister, not regional bodies.

• Health‑care workers (physicians, nurses, allied staff)

  • Medical staff bylaws must set fair processes for appointments, re‑appointments, suspensions, and hospital privileges.
  • Doctors keep the right to appeal hospital privilege decisions to the Hospital Privileges Appeal Board.
  • Provincial agencies can set standards and record‑keeping requirements that hospital operators and staff must follow.
  • Some employment relationships or reporting lines may shift to provincial agencies/corporations or named hospital operators.

• Hospitals and operators (including faith‑based and non‑profit)

  • The Minister can designate approved hospitals and hospital operators by order.
  • Each hospital sector needs an administrator, general bylaws, and medical staff bylaws (approved by the sector Minister).
  • You are responsible for hospital services, staff oversight, reporting to government, and cooperating with investigations or mediations related to care quality.
  • You can create or continue hospital foundations under updated rules.

• Ambulance services and dispatch

  • Provincial health agencies or corporations must provide EMS, prepare EMS plans, use approved dispatch centers, and enter agreements with ambulance operators.

• Public health

  • The Minister can declare a local state of public health emergency and publish orders.
  • Medical officers of health are appointed by the Minister; information‑sharing rules are updated for outbreak response.

• Local governments and public bodies

  • Technical updates touch municipal tax exemptions, investments, petitions, and records, replacing “regional health authority” with the new bodies.
  • Some notice and reporting duties now run to the Minister or provincial agencies instead of a regional body.

• Privacy and information

  • The bill aligns privacy terms with the new structure. It clarifies when health information can be shared for planning, policy, and public health, and adds the Seniors, Community and Social Services Minister to certain data‑sharing paths.
  • Patient‑identifying information must not be published in public health orders.

Expenses#

Estimated annual cost: No publicly available information.

• The bill is mainly structural and administrative. It does not include new program funding in the text.

Proponents' View#

• Creates clear lines of accountability by moving from regional bodies to province‑wide agencies and corporations.
• Standardizes hospital governance, staffing bylaws, and EMS planning across Alberta.
• Speeds public health decision‑making by letting the Minister declare local health emergencies.
• Modernizes many statutes, removing outdated terms (Hospitals Act) and aligning privacy and information rules.
• Keeps doctors’ right to appeal hospital privilege decisions.

Opponents' View#

• Centralizing power with provincial ministries may reduce local input and community responsiveness.
• Frequent cross‑statute changes could cause confusion during the transition for hospitals and staff.
• More ministerial approval of hospital and medical staff bylaws may lead to political interference.
• New discharge and “trespass” provisions, plus daily overstay charges, could be seen as harsh on families in difficult situations.
• Expanded data‑sharing pathways may raise privacy concerns if not carefully managed.