Health Minister Jason Copping at Chinook Regional Hospital

By Jerran Fisher

Alberta to add 50 new ICU beds in the coming months

Mar 2, 2022 | 1:37 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB — Health Minister Jason Copping announced Wednesday the Alberta Government is adding 50 new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds throughout the province.

Lethbridge will be the focus for the new beds across Alberta Health Services (AHS) South Zone.

$300 Million is being invested over the next three years to expand healthcare capacity.

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Alberta’s Budget 2022 includes $100 Million to pay for the new ICU beds and hire the staff to support them.

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Copping said, “Alberta needs more health care capacity. We need the flexibility to treat those who come into our medical clinics and hospitals; as well as to respond to surges caused by unseen events like COVID-19.”

Dr. Aaron Low, South Zone Medical Director said, Alberta more than doubled the number of ICU beds during the fourth wave of the pandemic, but it came from delaying surgeries at the time.

Low says the province is nearly back to 100 per cent surgery capacity, and by adding more beds, is hopeful surgeries won’t need to be delayed further in case of future waves.

The investments being made are not only to create new ICU beds but to hire staff.

Copping says an additional $90 Million is being invested in programs to increase the AHS workforce.

Alberta is looking to bring in doctors internationally as well as provide incentives for students in Alberta including a ‘Reside’ program.

The program targets medical graduates doing their residency in rural towns, to keep them in the communities.

Read more about Alberta’s health system plan.