Alberta
Alberta activates contingency mail delivery plan
Alberta’s government has a plan to ensure critical government mail continues to be delivered during the service interruption at Canada Post.
In response to the service disruption at Canada Post, Alberta’s government is taking steps to ensure critical mail between Albertans and the government continues to flow.
Starting Tuesday, Nov. 19, mail can be accepted from Albertans at designated Alberta government offices across the province to ensure it reaches the proper destination. No stamps are required. The full list of designated buildings is available on Alberta.ca.
Albertans who receive mail from the provincial government will receive a notification by email or phone indicating where and when they can pick-up/drop-off their mail. Alberta’s government will never ask for personal information over the phone or for anyone to click on a link in an email. Non-critical mail will be held by the originating department until Canada Post mail service resumes.
Some departments are participating in a Canada Post program to deliver social-economic cheques once a month during the disruption. Many departments that issue cheques also offer direct deposit. For more information, or to inquire about signing up for direct deposit, Albertans should contact the government department that issues the payment.
Additional information will be posted online as it becomes available.
Quick facts
- Only critical mail can be delivered to the general public during a work interruption. Non-critical or promotional mail should not be sent during this time.
- Ministries must arrange for staff serving the public to accept and forward critical mail from Albertans to the appropriate government recipients.
- Critical mail is material that must reach its intended recipient to avoid health, safety, financial or other significant harm to Albertans, significant risk or loss to government, or legislative non-compliance and that cannot be delivered expediently by courier, fax, electronic or other means.
- Canada Post employees will deliver federal and provincial government socio-economic cheques one day per month during a work interruption.
- Additional information will be posted on Alberta.ca as it becomes available.
Related information
Government mail drop locations – Effective November 19
| City / Town | Drop Point | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Airdrie | Agricultural Centre | 97 East Lake Ramp NE, Airdrie, AB T4A 0C3 |
| Athabasca | Jewell Building | #2, 3603 – 53 St., Athabasca, AB T9S 1A9 |
| Barrhead | AFSC | 4924 50 Ave, Barrhead, AB T7N 1A4 |
| Blairmore | Provincial Building | 12501 – Crowsnest Pass Provincial Building, Blairmore, AB T0K 1E0 |
| Bonnyville | Provincial Building | P.O. Box 5244, 4904 – 50 Ave., Bonnyville, AB T9N 2G4 |
| Brooks | Provincial Building | 220 – 4 Ave. W, Brooks, AB T1R 1C6 |
| Calgary | West Direct Express | Bay 30, 333 28 Street NE, Calgary, AB T2A 7P4 |
| Camrose | AFSC | P.O. Box 5000, 4910 – 52 St., Camrose, AB T4V 2V4 |
| Canmore | Provincial Building | 3rd Floor, 800 – Railway Ave., Canmore, AB T1W 1P1 |
| Cardston | Provincial Building | 576 – Main St., Cardston, AB T0K 0K0 |
| Caroline | Alberta Highway Services Yard | P.O. Box 160, Caroline, AB T0M 0M0 |
| Castor | Alberta Health Services | 4911 – 50 Avenue Castor, AB T0C 0X0 |
| Claresholm | Provincial Building | P.O. Box 1650, 109 – 46 Ave. W, Claresholm, AB T0L 0T0 |
| Coaldale | RCMP Detachment | 705 – 19A Avenue, Coaldale, AB T1M 1A7 |
| Cochrane | Provincial Building | 2nd Floor, 213 – 1 St. W, Cochrane, AB T4C 1A5 |
| Cold Lake | AB Supports | #408 6501B – 51 Street, Cold Lake, AB T9M 1P2 |
| Consort | Provincial Building | 4916 – 50 St., Consort, AB T0C 1B0 |
| Drayton Valley | Provincial Building | 5136 – 51 Ave., Drayton Valley, AB T7A 1S4 |
| Drumheller | Riverside Centre | 180 – Riverside Centre, Drumheller, AB T0J 0Y4 |
| Edmonton | MSV Building | 12360 – 142 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5L 2H1 |
| Edson | Provincial Building | 111 – 54 St., Edson, AB T7E 1T2 |
| Evansburg | Health Centre | 5525 – 50 St., Evansburg, AB T0E 0T0 |
| Fairview | AARD | #213, 10209 – 109 St., Fairview, AB T0H 1L0 |
| Falher | AFSC | 701 – Main St., Falher, AB T0H 1M0 |
| Foremost | Provincial Building | 218 – Main St., Foremost, AB T0K 0X0 |
| Fort MacLeod | Fort MacLeod Healthcare Centre | P.O. Box 520, 744 – 26 St., Fort MacLeod, AB T0L 0Z0 |
| Fort McMurray | Provincial Building | 9915 – Franklin Ave., Fort McMurray, AB T9H 2K4 |
| Fort Saskatchewan | Correctional Centre | Bag 10, 7802 – 101 St., Fort Saskatchewan, AB T8L 2P3 |
| Fort Vermilion | Ranger Station | 5001 46 Ave Fort Vermilion, AB T0H 1N0 |
| Fox Creek | Ranger Station | 201 Kaybob Drive, Fox Creek, AB T0H 1P0 |
| Grande Prairie | Provincial Building | 10320 – 99 St., Grande Prairie, AB T8V 6J4 |
| Grimshaw | AFSC | 5306 – 50 Street, Grimshaw, AB T0H 1W0 |
| Hanna | Provinical Building | 401 – Centre St., Hanna, AB T0J 1P0 |
| High Level | Provincial Building | 10106 – 100 Ave., High Level, AB T0H 1Z0 |
| High Prairie | Provincial Building | 5226 – 53 Ave., High Prairie, AB T0G 1E0 |
| High River | Spitzee Crossing Building | 124 – 4 Avenue SW, High River, AB T1V 1M3 |
| Hinton | Hinton Training Centre | 1176 – Switzer Dr., Hinton, AB T7V 1V3 |
| Innisfail | Eastgate Mall | Bay 11, 4804 – 42 Ave., Innisfail, AB T4G 1V2 |
| Killam | Killam Mental Health Clinic | 4811 – 49 Ave., Killam, AB T0B 2L0 |
| Lac La Biche | Health Centre | 9503 – Beaver Hill Rd., Lac La Biche, AB T0A 2C0 |
| Lacombe | AFSC | 5718 – 56 Ave., Lacombe, AB T4L 1B1 |
| Lamont | AFSC | 5014 – 50 Ave., Lamont, AB T0B 2R0 |
| Leduc | Provincial Courthouse | 4612 – 50 St., Leduc, AB T9E 6L1 |
| Lethbridge | Provincial Building | 200 – 5 Ave. S, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4L1 |
| Lloydminster | Provincial Building | 5124 – 50 St., Lloydminster, AB T9V 0M3 |
| Manning | Environment and Parks | #400, 2nd Street SW, Manning, AB T0H 2M0 |
| McLennan | Kirkland Building | P.O. Box 326, 205 – 1 St. E, McLennan, AB T0H 2L0 |
| Medicine Hat | Provincial Building | #1-106, 346 – 3 St. SE, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 0G7 |
| Morniville | Provincial Building | 10008 – 107 St., Morinville, AB T8R 1L3 |
| Olds | Provincial Building | 5030 – 50 St., Olds, AB T4H 1S1 |
| Peace River | Provincial Building | Bag 900, 9621 – 96 Ave., Peace River, AB T8S 1T4 |
| Pincher Creek | Provincial Building | 782 – Main St., Pincher Creek, AB T0K 1W0 |
| Ponoka | Provincial Building | P.O. Box 4426, 5110 – 49 Ave., Ponoka, AB T4J 1S1 |
| Provost | Provincial Building | 5419 – 44 Ave., Provost, AB T0B 3S0 |
| Red Deer | Provincial Building | 4920 – 51 St., Red Deer, AB T4N 6K8 |
| Rimbey | Provincial Building | 2nd Floor, 5025 – 55 St., Rimbey, AB T0C 2J0 |
| Rocky Mountain House | Provincial Building | 2nd Floor, 4919 – 51 St., Rocky Mountain House, AB T4T 1B3 |
| St. Albert | Provincial Building | 30 – Sir Winston Churchill Ave., St. Albert, AB T8N 3A3 |
| St. Paul | Provincial Building | 5025 – 49 Ave., St. Paul, AB T0A 3A4 |
| Sedgewick | Flagstaff Building | 4701 – 48 Ave., Sedgewick, AB T0B 4C0 |
| Sherwood Park | Centre Plaza | 190 Chippewa Road, Sherwood Park, AB T8A 4H5 |
| Slave Lake | Government Centre | 101- 3rd Street SW, Slave Lake, AB T0G 2A4 |
| Smoky Lake | Provincial Building | 2nd Floor, 108 – Wheatland Ave., Smoky Lake, AB T0A 3C0 |
| AB Tree Improvement | P.O. Box 750, 59162 – R.R. 155, Smoky Lake, AB T0A 3C0 | |
| Spirit River | AFSC | 4202 – 50 Street, Spirit River, AB T0H 3G0 |
| Spruce Grove | Provincial Building | #1, 250 – Diamond Ave., Spruce Grove, AB T7X 4C7 |
| Stettler | Provincial Building | 4705 – 49 Ave., Stettler, AB T0C 2L0 |
| Stony Plain | Provincial Building | 4709 – 44 Ave., Stony Plain, AB T7Z 1N4 |
| Strathmore | AFSC | 325 – 3 Ave., Strathmore, AB T1P 1B4 |
| Sundre | Ranger Station | P.O. Box 519, 127 – 1 St. NW, Sundre, AB T0M 1X0 |
| Taber | Provincial Building | 5011 – 49 Ave., Taber, AB T1G 1V9 |
| Three Hills | AFSC | 128 – 3 Avenue, Tofield, AB T0M 2A0 |
| Tofield | Provincial Building | 5024 51 Ave , Tofield, AB T0B 4J0 |
| Ukrainian Village | Ukrainian Village | c/o 8820 – 112 St., Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 |
| Valleyview | Provincial Building | 5102 – 50 Ave., Valleyview, AB T0H 3N0 |
| Vegreville | Haverhill Building | 5121 – 49 Street E, Vegreville, AB T9C 1S7 |
| Vermilion | Provincial Building | P.O. Box 30, 4701 – 52 St., Vermilion, AB T9X 1J9 |
| Vulcan | AFSC | 104 Centre Street E, Vulcan, AB T0L 2B0 |
| Wainwright | Provincial Building | #4, 810 – 14 Ave., Wainwright, AB T9W 1R2 |
| Westlock | Provincial Building | 2nd Floor, 10003 – 100 St., Westlock, AB T7P 2E8 |
| Wetaskiwin | Provincial Building | 5201 – 50 Ave., Wetaskiwin, AB T9A 0S7 |
| Whitecourt | Provincial Building | 5020 – 52 Ave., Whitecourt, AB T7S 1N2 |
| Youngstown | Special Areas | 404 – 2 Ave , Youngstown, AB T0J 3P0 |
Alberta
Health Care Update: Province will deliver health services regionally in seven “health corridors”
Ensuring a successfully refocused health system |
Alberta’s government continues to make progress refocusing the health care system to ensure all Albertans get the care they need.
Under Alberta’s refocused health care system, four fully integrated provincial health agencies are being created to oversee the priority sectors of primary care, acute care, continuing care, and mental health and addiction. Two of the provincial health agencies, Recovery Alberta and Primary Care Alberta, have been established with input from more than 30,000 health care professionals and Albertans.
Additionally, it was recently announced that Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Jason Nixon would become the sector minister for the new continuing care provincial health agency. He has now taken on this role and will oversee continuing care as the government works toward standing up the new continuing care agency.
“Refocusing the health care system is a complex process that needs to be done right. We’re committed to taking the time necessary to develop a better health care system for Albertans and the front-line workers who work tirelessly every day to serve their patients.”
Acute Care Alberta transition
Acute care, which includes hospitals, emergency services and surgery care, is a significant part of the health care system, providing critical care to Albertans when they need it most. Alberta’s new acute care provincial health agency, Acute Care Alberta, will become a legal entity in early 2025 and begin operating in spring 2025. As work continues, Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring there are no interruptions to patient care while keeping front-line workers and all Albertans informed and supported.
The new acute care provincial health agency will work directly with service providers to speed up access to high-quality care, reduce wait times and ensure a patient’s journey through the acute care system is efficient and effective.
To support the standing up of Acute Care Alberta, the Acute Care Provincial Health Agency Executive Transition Team has been established. The team includes executive members from Alberta Health and an external special adviser, Dr. Chris Eagle. As a former CEO of Alberta Health Services, Dr. Eagle brings extensive experience in the delivery of acute care services in the province. He will provide valuable insight and expertise that will support the transition of Alberta Health Services from a health authority to a service delivery provider.
Throughout this work, Albertans will continue to access acute care services as they always have, and there will be no impact to front-line health care workers and their continued dedication to delivering health care to Albertans.
Primary Care Alberta now operational
As of Nov. 18, Primary Care Alberta is a legal entity under the leadership of Kim Simmonds, whose first task is to support the transition of operations by setting the agency’s vision and mission, implementing policies and processes, and developing plans. Simmonds and her leadership team will work closely with existing primary care teams at Alberta Health Services to establish the new agency.
“Every Albertan deserves to have a long-term, trusted connection with a family doctor or health care team. We are ready to work to ensure all Albertans have a primary health care home.”
Primary Care Alberta will coordinate and deliver primary health care services across the province, so all Albertans and their families are supported in their day-to-day health needs while avoiding visiting the emergency department and reducing pressures on acute care services.
Integrated approach to health system planning
As part of the refocusing work, Alberta’s government is also taking a new, regional approach to health system planning through seven integrated health corridors.
As a regional grouping within a health care system, a health corridor is designed to reflect how Albertans use health care services in the province based on factors such as travel patterns, access points and local population needs. The corridors consider data related to where Albertans access services and facilities, as well as feedback received during health care refocusing public engagement sessions.
As a result, these corridors will enable an evidence-based approach to planning that will inform decisions about services, workforce and infrastructure across the four new provincial health agencies. This new approach will connect care pathways and support seamless patient journeys throughout the health care system.
“New health care corridors present many opportunities within Alberta’s health care system. Further regionalization of services, in addition to a focus on rural needs and representation, will be essential to ensuring our communities get access to the care they need.”
Health corridors will ensure Alberta’s government will be better able to determine current gaps in the health care system and inform investments in those areas, including operational dollars and funding for capital projects. Getting a better regional understanding of how the health care system is being used will ensure decision-making processes reflect the changing needs of Albertans.
Upcoming engagement opportunities
Alberta’s government remains committed to maintaining open lines of communication with Albertans as it stands up the new provincial health agencies that will form the backbone of Alberta’s refocused health care system.
The input, experiences and feedback Alberta’s government is gathering are helping to create a more effective and efficient health care system that meets the needs of Albertans today and for generations to come.
All Albertans are invited to participate in upcoming telephone town halls with Health Minister Adriana LaGrange to discuss the ongoing work to refocus the health system. Town halls will take place on:
- Nov. 19, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Nov. 27, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Nov. 28, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Albertans can register to participate online.
In addition to telephone town halls, Albertans can provide feedback on the refocused health care system online until Dec. 5.
A second round of in-person public engagement is planned for winter/spring 2025 to share information and receive feedback about refocusing work. Those interested in keeping up to date on the health system refocusing work and new engagement opportunities can sign up for an e-newsletter.
Quick facts
- Legislative amendments have been implemented to support the transition to the new health care system.
- To support health service delivery, Alberta Health Services divided the province into five zones: Calgary, Edmonton, south, north and central. The new integrated health system plan will include seven regional health corridors:
- North-West
- North-East
- Edmonton
- Central
- Calgary
- South-West
- South-East
Related information
Despite falling into disrepute in recent years, “follow the science” remains our best shot at getting at the truth of the physical sciences.
But science, if we are to place our trust in it, must be properly defined and understood; it is at its essence an ever-changing process, a relentless pursuit of truth that is never “settled,” and one that is unafraid to discard old hypotheses in the face of new evidence.
And it is in this light—in the unforgiving glare of honest science—that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s three new legislative initiatives around gender policy are properly understood, notwithstanding the opprobrium they’ve attracted from critics.
Bill 26, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, proposes to prohibit the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-gender hormones for the treatment of gender dysphoria to youth aged 15 and under. It would allow minors aged 16 and 17 to begin puberty blockers and hormone therapies for gender “reassignment” and “affirmation” purposes only with parental, physician, and psychologist approval. The bill also prohibits health professionals from performing sex reassignment surgeries on minors.
Bill 27, the Education Amendment Act, seeks to enshrine parents’ rights to be notified if their kids change their names/pronouns at school, and it gives parents the right to “opt in” to what sort of gender and sex education their kids are exposed to in school.
And Bill 29, the Fairness and Safety in Sports Act, is designed to protect females in sports by ensuring that women and girls can compete in biological female-only divisions, while supporting the formation of co-ed opportunities to support transgender athletes.
Each of these initiatives is entirely reasonable, given what we know of the science underpinning “gender care,” and of the undeniable advantages that a male physique confers upon biological males competing in sports.
The notion that the trifecta of puberty blockers, cross-gender hormones, and revisionist surgery is a pathway to good health was a hypothesis initially devised by Dutch researchers, who were looking to ease the discomfort of transgender adults struggling with incongruence between their physical appearance and their gender identities. As a hypothesis, it was perhaps reasonable.
But as the UK’s Cass Review exposed in withering detail last spring, its premises were wholly unsupported by evidence, and its implementation has caused grievous harm for youth. As Finnish psychiatrist Riittakerttu Kaltiala, one of the architects of that country’s gender program, put it last year, “Gender affirming care is dangerous. I know, because I helped pioneer it.”
It’s no accident, then, that numerous European jurisdictions have pulled back from the “gender affirming care” pathway for youth, such as Sweden, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
It makes perfect sense that Canadians should be cautious as well, and that parents should be apprised if their children are being exposed to these theories at school and informed if their kids are caught up in their premises.
Yet the Canadian medical establishment has remained curiously intransigent on this issue, continuing to insist that the drug-and-surgery-based gender-affirming care model is rooted in evidence.
Premier Smith was asked by a reporter last month whether decisions on these matters aren’t best left to discussions between doctors and their patients; to which she replied:
“I would say doctors aren’t always right.”
Which is rather an understatement, as anyone familiar with the opioid drug crisis can attest, or as anyone acquainted with the darker corners of medical history knows: the frontal lobotomy saga, the thalidomide catastrophe, and the “recovered memories of sexual abuse” scandal are just a few examples of where doctors didn’t “get it right.”
As physicians, we advocate strongly for self-regulation and for the principle that medical decisions are private matters between physicians and patients. But self-regulation isn’t infallible, and when it fails it can be very much in the interests of the public—and especially of patients—for others to intervene, whether they be journalists, lawyers, or political leaders.
The trans discussion shouldn’t be a partisan issue, although it certainly has become one in Canada. It’s worth noting that Britain’s freshly elected Labour Party chose to carry on with the cautious approach adopted by the preceding administration in light of the Cass Review.
Premier Smith’s new polices are eminently sensible and in line with the stance taken by our European colleagues. None of her initiatives are “anti-trans.” Instead, they are pro-child, pro-women, and pro-athlete, and it’s difficult to see how anyone can quibble with that.
Dr. J. Edward Les, MD, is a pediatrician in Calgary, senior fellow at the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy, and co-author of Teenagers, Children, and Gender Transition Policy: A Comparison of Transgender Medical Policy for Minors in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
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