EDMONTON – Fort McMurray is among nine Alberta communities slated to receive new urgent care centres as the provincial government commits $39 million to planning and land acquisition for an expansion of the province’s urgent care network.
The investment, announced Nov. 9, is intended to increase access to same-day medical treatment for non-life-threatening conditions while reducing pressure on hospital emergency departments.
The province says the nine new facilities will more than double Alberta’s urgent care network, increasing the number of centres from six to 15.
Once operational, the government expects the expanded network to increase urgent care capacity by 150 per cent and divert up to 300,000 visits annually from hospital emergency departments.
For Fort McMurray, the announcement represents a potential new option for residents seeking medical attention for conditions that require prompt treatment but are not considered life-threatening.
Urgent care centres provide walk-in services for patients who need same-day medical attention but do not necessarily require the resources of a hospital emergency department.
The province says the new facilities are being planned for communities experiencing population growth, gaps in existing health services and increasing demand for medical care.
“Every Albertan deserves timely, high-quality care,” said Adriana LaGrange, minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services.
“Expanding our urgent care network will give families more options for treatment, ease pressure on emergency departments and help more Albertans get the care they need, when they need it.”
While Fort McMurray has been identified as one of the communities receiving a new centre, the province has not announced where the facility will be located or when construction is expected to begin.
The $39 million allocated in Budget 2026 will be distributed over three years to support planning and land acquisition for all nine facilities.
The funding does not represent the full construction cost of the proposed centres.
Specific locations will be announced as land acquisition is finalized and planning progresses.
Infrastructure Minister Martin Long says the expansion is intended to create facilities that meet current health-care demands while preparing for future population growth.
“The right care starts with the right infrastructure,” Long said.
“As we develop purpose-built urgent care centres in communities across Alberta, we’re creating spaces designed around how care needs to be delivered today, while adding the capacity our growing province will need for tomorrow.”
According to the province, an average Alberta urgent care centre treats approximately 30,000 to 33,000 patients annually.
The government has not provided a specific patient capacity estimate for the proposed Fort McMurray facility.
The expansion is also intended to improve patient flow by directing individuals with less serious medical concerns away from hospital emergency departments, allowing those facilities to concentrate on patients requiring more intensive or emergency treatment.
Dr. Sayeh Zielke, interim chief executive officer of Acute Care Alberta, says the additional facilities will support efforts to reduce emergency department congestion.
“This investment fits directly into the work Acute Care Alberta is leading to improve patient flow and reduce emergency department congestion, ensuring patients get appropriate care where and when they need it,” Zielke said.
“We look forward to working with our partners in government and across health care to make full use of this new capacity.”
In addition to Fort McMurray, new urgent care centres are planned for west and south Edmonton, the Stony Plain-Spruce Grove area, east Calgary, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Cold Lake and Sylvan Lake.
Budget 2025 previously included $15 million to support urgent care planning across Alberta.
The province says the latest investment is part of a broader effort to expand access to medical services and reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments as Alberta’s population and demand for health care continue to grow.
Further details about the Fort McMurray urgent care centre, including its location, construction schedule and anticipated opening date, have not yet been announced.
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