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Alberta

Front-line paramedics will soon have access to Connect Care

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Expanding Connect Care access for paramedics

Alberta’s government is committed to making sure front-line health care workers have the tools necessary to deliver the highest quality of care, especially in emergencies where every second counts. By improving access to critical patient information, this initiative will strengthen the efficiency and quality of emergency care for all Albertans.

Starting Jan. 30, paramedics providing front-line care will have view-only access to Connect Care. They will be able to look up the most up-to-date health information, including medication lists, lab results, electrocardiograms and medical imaging. Allowing paramedics to view patient records on site will empower them to make informed clinical decisions and improve patient outcomes during critical moments.

“The introduction of Connect Care view-only access is a crucial advancement for our emergency medical services. This initiative reflects our commitment to equipping our paramedics with the necessary tools to deliver timely and informed care, ensuring the safety and well-being of Albertans in their most vulnerable moments.”

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

From June to August 2024, Alberta Health Services (AHS) piloted Connect Care view-only access with fixed-wing air ambulance paramedics stationed in Calgary and Medicine Hat. The pilot assessed the training, access and use of Connect Care, with paramedics providing positive feedback. The trial demonstrated improvements in clinical decision-making and patient safety, leading to the decision for a provincewide rollout.

“Paramedics have a multitude of abilities that make them a valuable part of the health care system. Having swift access to additional tools/data will notably assist them in providing enhanced care to all Albertans.”

Len Stelmaschuk, president, Alberta Paramedic Association

Connect Care operates with rigorous oversight, including a 24-hour Smart Audit system, which flags any unusual activities for immediate review by the AHS privacy breach team. Comprehensive training and support will be provided to ensure a smooth transition, including user guides and other resources to help paramedics access the system.

“Paramedics are highly skilled health professionals who deliver exceptional care, relying both on their clinical expertise and information gathered from patients and bystanders. The expansion of Connect Care view-only access represents a transformative advancement in emergency medical services, enhancing their ability to deliver even higher levels of care.”

Anne MacDonald, acting senior program officer, EMS, Alberta Health Services

Alberta’s government recognizes the essential role a fully integrated clinical documentation system plays in promoting collaboration among health care providers. This expansion of Connect Care access is a significant step forward in ensuring paramedics have timely access to patient health information when it’s most crucial for Albertans.

Quick facts

  • Connect Care view-only access will be provided to both AHS emergency medical services paramedics as well as contract service providers delivering front-line care.

This is a news release from the Government of Alberta.

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Alberta

Red Deer Justice Centre Grand Opening: Building access to justice for Albertans

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The new Red Deer Justice Centre will help Albertans resolve their legal matters faster.

Albertans deserve to have access to a fair, accessible and transparent justice system. Modernizing Alberta’s courthouse infrastructure will help make sure Alberta’s justice system runs efficiently and meets the needs of the province’s growing population.

Alberta’s government has invested $191 million to build the new Red Deer Justice Centre, increasing the number of courtrooms from eight to 12, allowing more cases to be heard at one time.

“Modern, accessible courthouses and streamlined services not only strengthen our justice
system – they build safer, stronger communities across the province. Investing in the new Red Deer Justice Centre is vital to helping our justice system operate more efficiently, and will give people in Red Deer and across central Alberta better access to justice.”

Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice and Attorney General

Government of Alberta and Judiciary representatives with special guests at the Red Deer Justice Centre plaque unveiling event April 22, 2025.

On March 3, all court services in Red Deer began operating out of the new justice centre. The new justice centre has 12 courtrooms fully built and equipped with video-conference equipment to allow witnesses to attend remotely if they cannot travel, and vulnerable witnesses to testify from outside the courtroom.

The new justice centre also has spaces for people taking alternative approaches to the traditional courtroom trial process, with the three new suites for judicial dispute resolution services, a specific suite for other dispute resolution services, such as family mediation and civil mediation, and a new Indigenous courtroom with dedicated venting for smudging purposes.

“We are very excited about this new courthouse for central Alberta. Investing in the places where people seek justice shows respect for the rights of all Albertans. The Red Deer Justice Centre fills a significant infrastructure need for this rapidly growing part of the province. It is also an important symbol of the rule of law, meaning that none of us are above the law, and there is an independent judiciary to decide disputes. This is essential for a healthy functioning democracy.”

Ritu Khullar, chief justice of Alberta

“Public safety and access to justice go hand in hand. With this investment in the new Red Deer Justice Centre, Alberta’s government is ensuring that communities are safer, legal matters are resolved more efficiently and all Albertans get the support they need.”

Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

“This state-of-the-art facility will serve the people of Red Deer and surrounding communities for generations. Our team at Infrastructure is incredibly proud of the work done to plan, design and build this project. I want to thank everyone, at all levels, who helped make this project a reality.”

Martin Long, Minister of Infrastructure

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

  • The new Red Deer Justice Centre is 312,000 sq ft (29,000 m2). (The old courthouse is 98,780 sq ft (9,177 m2)).
  • The approved project funding for the Red Deer Justice Centre is about $191 million.
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Alberta

CPP another example of Albertans’ outsized contribution to Canada

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From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

Amid the economic uncertainty fuelled by Trump’s trade war, its perhaps more important than ever to understand Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and its outsized contribution to programs such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

From 1981 to 2022, Albertan’s net contribution to the CPP—meaning the amount Albertans paid into the program over and above what retirees in Alberta received in CPP payments—was $53.6 billion. In 2022 (the latest year of available data), Albertans’ net contribution to the CPP was $3.0 billion.

During that same period (1981 to 2022), British Columbia was the only other province where residents paid more into the CPP than retirees received in benefits—and Alberta’s contribution was six times greater than B.C.’s contribution. Put differently, residents in seven out of the nine provinces that participate in the CPP (Quebec has its own plan) receive more back in benefits than they contribute to the program.

Albertans pay an outsized contribution to federal and national programs, including the CPP because of the province’s relatively high rates of employment, higher average incomes and younger population (i.e. more workers pay into the CPP and less retirees take from it).

Put simply, Albertan workers have been helping fund the retirement of Canadians from coast to coast for decades, and without Alberta, the CPP would look much different.

How different?

If Alberta withdrew from the CPP and established its own standalone provincial pension plan, Alberta workers would receive the same retirement benefits but at a lower cost (i.e. lower CPP contribution rate deducted from our paycheques) than other Canadians, while the contribution rate—essentially the CPP tax rate—to fund the program would likely need to increase for the rest of the country to maintain the same benefits.

And given current demographic projections, immigration patterns and Alberta’s long history of leading the provinces in economic growth, Albertan workers will likely continue to pay more into the CPP than Albertan retirees get back from it.

Therefore, considering Alberta’s crucial role in national programs, the next federal government—whoever that may be—should undo and prevent policies that negatively impact the province and Albertans ability to contribute to Canada. Think of Bill C-69 (which imposes complex, uncertain and onerous review requirements on major energy projects), Bill C-48 (which bans large oil tankers off B.C.’s northern coast and limits access to Asian markets), an arbitrary cap on oil and gas emissions, numerous other “net-zero” targets, and so on.

Canada faces serious economic challenges, including a trade war with the United States. In times like this, it’s important to remember Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and the outsized contributions of Alberta workers to the wellbeing of Canadians across the country.

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