New legislation to continue health overhaul in Alberta, gives province more control over medical officers of health

The province is making more changes it says will streamline the public healthcare system. It says the changes will allow AHS to focus on acute care.

The Government of Alberta has tabled new legislation to advance the restructuring of public health delivery.

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Bill 55, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, was tabled on Thursday. It makes changes to five pieces of legislation, including the Hospitals Act, Health Information Act and the Public Health Care Act.

“Public health will be moved out of Alberta Health Services, strengthening public health’s role in protecting the wellbeing of all Albertans and allowing AHS (Alberta Health Services) to focus on delivering acute care services,” Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said.

Under the new health-care system, first announced in 2023, AHS will become a hospital provider under the new Acute Care Alberta.

Thursday’s legislation will transfer policy development, public health and inspections to Alberta Health, including moving Medical Officers of Health (MOH) currently overseen by AHS to the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH).

MOHs are specialist physicians with public health expertise and, according to the AHS website, work to prevent and respond to public health threats – such as disease outbreaks.

LaGrange explained that “on the ground” public health services, such as immunization programs, will be carried out by the primary care agency while public health policy will be the province’s responsibility.

“The policy side needs to reside within government, because that’s where it does reside,” LaGrange said. “These MOHs are supposed to be reporting up, and do report up to the CMOH currently through legislation, and this will streamline that process.”

“Health-care practitioners who provide those services will be under Primary Care Alberta because they’re dealing directly with the public,” she added.

Alberta currently does not have a CMOH after Dr. Mark Joffe stepped down after two-and-a-half years.

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LaGrange said work is underway to recruit a new CMOH.

Other Bill 55 amendments include eliminating elections of Public Health Agency members, with members to be appointed by the province instead, and repealing sections of the Hospitals Act.

“The Hospitals Act is an outdated piece of legislation that does not reflect current acute care system governance or the introduction of new governance structures and ministerial roles," LaGrange said.

Additional changes in Bill 55 include amending the Protection of Persons in Care Act, which the province said will add more capacity to investigate allegations of abuse against adult Albertans in care.

It will also continue the transfer of the continuing care sector to the ministry of seniors, community and social services. Assisted Living Alberta, the new provincial agency overseeing continuing care, is expected to be operational later this year.