May 23, 2024 | Edmonton, Alberta | Health Canada

All seniors in Canada deserve to age with dignity, safety and comfort, regardless of where they live. That is why the Government of Canada is investing nearly $200 billion over ten years, including $5.4 billion in tailored bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories Aging gracefully.

Speaking today, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, and the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister Responsible for the Federal Agency for Northern Ontario Economic Development Plan, on behalf of the Honourable Mark Holland of Health of Canada, and the Honourable Adriana LaGrange, Alberta Minister of Health, announced a bilateral agreement that will provide $627 million in investments over the next five years to help Albertans age gracefully. This funding follows the more than $1 billion bilateral agreement with the province announced in December 2023 as part of the government’s plan Working together to improve health care for Canadians.

The federal funding will support Alberta’s five-year action plan to improve health care for seniors. This plan includes the following elements:

Supporting home and community care and palliative care

• Improve home care for all Albertans, particularly those living in rural or remote areas or Indigenous communities, including those with complex care needs, to reduce pressure on hospitals and emergency services.
• Expand spaces and services for palliative and end-of-life care, including care coordination, psychosocial support, assessment and management of complex symptoms, and end-of-life planning.

Develop support for caregivers

• Improve support for caregivers by improving access to respite services and expanding community day programs, and expand the reach of support for caregivers in rural Alberta.
• Providing resources and programs tailored to those caring for people with dementia and complex needs to support caregiver wellbeing.

Strengthening staff for continuous care

• Strengthen mental health education and caregiver supports, including psychosocial support, peer support programs, and trauma-informed care training.
• Improve recruitment and retention in continuing care sites, programs and positions where recruitment is difficult, in rural and remote areas.

Improving compliance and quality of ongoing care

• Support best practices in quality of life and care, including a trauma and culturally informed approach to care, to better meet the needs of those receiving ongoing care.
• Modernize equipment and technology in nursing homes to meet the needs of clients and residents for care and access to enrichment activities.
• Improve nursing home compliance and monitoring to provide safe and quality care services.

Progress on these large-scale initiatives and commitments will be measured against the goals Alberta publicly announces annually.

Under this new agreement and the agreement Collaborate, signed in December 2023, Alberta will improve the way health information is collected, exchanged, used and communicated to Canadians; simplifying the recognition of qualifications for internationally trained health professionals; Facilitating the mobility of key health workers in Canada; and will take shared responsibility to ensure respect Canadian Health Act to protect Canadians’ access to health care based on their need, not their ability to pay.

Recognizing the significant gaps in Indigenous health outcomes, the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta are also committed to working meaningfully with their Indigenous partners to improve access to high-quality and culturally appropriate health services. Alberta’s action plan is based on the continued commitment of its Indigenous partners. All levels of government, within their respective jurisdictions, will make health-related decisions in a manner that promotes respect and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

Alberta and the federal government will continue to work together to improve access to health services and deliver tangible outcomes for all patients in the province, including meeting the needs of Indigenous peoples and other underserved and disadvantaged populations.