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Alberta

Albertans as young as 58 with health conditions now eligible for the jab as province moves to 2B vaccine stage

Published

4 years ago

4 minute read

From the Province of Alberta

Phase 2B vaccine appointments available through AHS

Albertans born in 1963 or earlier with underlying health conditions now have another way to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

As part of Phase 2B of Alberta’s vaccine rollout, anyone born in 1963 or earlier with eligible health conditions can now book appointments with Alberta Health Services (AHS) online or by calling 811.

Anyone with eligible health conditions born in 1963 or earlier can also continue booking at participating pharmacies in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer. In the coming weeks, as more vaccine supply is available, pharmacies across Alberta will begin to offer bookings.

As Phase 2B rolls out, additional birth years for Albertans with underlying health conditions will be added in the coming days, based on vaccine supply.

By April 23, all Albertans born in 2005 or earlier with eligible high-risk underlying health conditions will be able to book an appointment through pharmacies and AHS.

“We are expanding the vaccine rollout as quickly and safely as possible. Now, Albertans born in 1963 or earlier with diabetes, disabilities, cancer and many other conditions can book through AHS, offering another chance to get the vaccine as soon as possible. I know this will bring peace of mind to those with high-risk health conditions and their loved ones, and we will continue to put pressure on the federal government until every last dose arrives.”

Tyler Shandro, Minister of Health

“Launching Phase 2B provides more Albertans, their families, and our communities across the province the hope of brighter days ahead. Our staff are working diligently, every day, to ensure we are providing vaccine to eligible Albertans as quickly and efficiently as possible and appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to include more eligible Albertans in the weeks ahead.”

Dr. Verna Yiu, president and CEO, Alberta Health Services

Eligible health conditions

Phase 2B of Alberta’s vaccine rollout focuses on those who have at least one of the following underlying health conditions:

  • A missing spleen or a spleen that is no longer working
  • Cancer
  • Chronic heart disease and vascular disease
  • Chronic kidney diseases requiring regular medical monitoring or treatment
  • Chronic liver disease due to any cause
  • Chronic neurological disease
  • Chronic respiratory (lung) diseases
  • Diabetes requiring insulin or other anti-diabetic medication to control
  • A weakened immune response due to disease or treatment
  • Anyone who is currently pregnant
  • Severe mental illness or substance use disorder requiring a hospital stay during the past year
  • Severe obesity
  • Severe or profound learning disabilities or severe developmental delay
  • Solid organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients

Additional information on eligible health conditions, including examples, is available at Alberta.ca/vaccine.

Individuals are not required to provide proof of health condition, such as a doctor’s note. However, you may want to talk to your doctor or pharmacist to help you understand if your condition is on this list.

Alberta’s government is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting lives and livelihoods with precise measures to bend the curve, sustain small businesses and protect Alberta’s health-care system.

Quick facts

  • Anyone eligible in Phase 1 and 2A of Alberta’s vaccine rollout who hasn’t yet received the vaccine can continue to book their appointment through a participating pharmacy or AHS.
  • As of April 4, more than 690,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered to Albertans.
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This is a news release from the Government of Alberta.

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Alberta

Big win for Alberta and Canada: Statement from Premier Smith

Published on April 2, 2025

By

Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement on the April 2, 2025 U.S. tariff announcement:

“Today was an important win for Canada and Alberta, as it appears the United States has decided to uphold the majority of the free trade agreement (CUSMA) between our two nations. It also appears this will continue to be the case until after the Canadian federal election has concluded and the newly elected Canadian government is able to renegotiate CUSMA with the U.S. administration.

“This is precisely what I have been advocating for from the U.S. administration for months.

“It means that the majority of goods sold into the United States from Canada will have no tariffs applied to them, including zero per cent tariffs on energy, minerals, agricultural products, uranium, seafood, potash and host of other Canadian goods.

“There is still work to be done, of course. Unfortunately, tariffs previously announced by the United States on Canadian automobiles, steel and aluminum have not been removed. The efforts of premiers and the federal government should therefore shift towards removing or significantly reducing these remaining tariffs as we go forward and ensuring affected workers across Canada are generously supported until the situation is resolved.

“I again call on all involved in our national advocacy efforts to focus on diplomacy and persuasion while avoiding unnecessary escalation. Clearly, this strategy has been the most effective to this point.

“As it appears the worst of this tariff dispute is behind us (though there is still work to be done), it is my sincere hope that we, as Canadians, can abandon the disastrous policies that have made Canada vulnerable to and overly dependent on the United States, fast-track national resource corridors, get out of the way of provincial resource development and turn our country into an independent economic juggernaut and energy superpower.”

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Alberta

Energy sector will fuel Alberta economy and Canada’s exports for many years to come

Published on April 2, 2025

By

From the Fraser Institute

By Jock Finlayson

By any measure, Alberta is an energy powerhouse—within Canada, but also on a global scale. In 2023, it produced 85 per cent of Canada’s oil and three-fifths of the country’s natural gas. Most of Canada’s oil reserves are in Alberta, along with a majority of natural gas reserves. Alberta is the beating heart of the Canadian energy economy. And energy, in turn, accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s international exports.

Consider some key facts about the province’s energy landscape, as noted in the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) 2023 annual report. Oil and natural gas production continued to rise (on a volume basis) in 2023, on the heels of steady increases over the preceding half decade. However, the dollar value of Alberta’s oil and gas production fell in 2023, as the surging prices recorded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine retreated. Capital spending in the province’s energy sector reached $30 billion in 2023, making it the leading driver of private-sector investment. And completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has opened new offshore export avenues for Canada’s oil industry and should boost Alberta’s energy production and exports going forward.

In a world striving to address climate change, Alberta’s hydrocarbon-heavy energy sector faces challenges. At some point, the world may start to consume less oil and, later, less natural gas (in absolute terms). But such “peak” consumption hasn’t arrived yet, nor does it appear imminent. While the demand for certain refined petroleum products is trending down in some advanced economies, particularly in Europe, we should take a broader global perspective when assessing energy demand and supply trends.

Looking at the worldwide picture, Goldman Sachs’ 2024 global energy forecast predicts that “oil usage will increase through 2034” thanks to strong demand in emerging markets and growing production of petrochemicals that depend on oil as the principal feedstock. Global demand for natural gas (including LNG) will also continue to increase, particularly since natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel and more of it is being traded in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Against this backdrop, there are reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for Alberta’s energy sector, particularly if the federal government dials back some of the economically destructive energy and climate policies adopted by the last government. According to the AER’s “base case” forecast, overall energy output will expand over the next 10 years. Oilsands output is projected to grow modestly; natural gas production will also rise, in part due to greater demand for Alberta’s upstream gas from LNG operators in British Columbia.

The AER’s forecast also points to a positive trajectory for capital spending across the province’s energy sector. The agency sees annual investment rising from almost $30 billion to $40 billion by 2033. Most of this takes place in the oil and gas industry, but “emerging” energy resources and projects aimed at climate mitigation are expected to represent a bigger slice of energy-related capital spending going forward.

Like many other oil and gas producing jurisdictions, Alberta must navigate the bumpy journey to a lower-carbon future. But the world is set to remain dependent on fossil fuels for decades to come. This suggests the energy sector will continue to underpin not only the Alberta economy but also Canada’s export portfolio for the foreseeable future.

Jock Finlayson

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
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