Alberta health authority CEO on leave of absence, interim replacement named

The Alberta Health Services CEO is currently on leave from his position. The province says in the interim, those roles will be handled by Erin O'Neill.

EDMONTON — Alberta’s transforming provincial health authority is in for another shakeup as it says its chief executive officer is on a leave of absence.

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Alberta Health Services says it can’t provide details on Andre Tremblay’s departure, but says the government has appointed a senior official within the agency as a temporary replacement.

It says Erin O’Neill will also serve as the temporary board chair and her years of experience in government and AHS management will help the agency deliver on its new mandate of hospital service provider.

Tremblay is a former deputy minster of health, and was appointed CEO in January after his predecessor was abruptly fired.

The former CEO filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against AHS and the government, which contained major accusations of government interference and arm-twisting in private surgery contracts.

Premier Danielle Smith’s government has directly challenged those allegations, and none of the accusations have been tested in court.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2025.