By Canadian Press

Alberta health minister says non-profit that shipped stroke patient to motel off list

Mar 21, 2024 | 1:52 PM

EDMONTON — Alberta’s health minister says a non-profit that shipped a stroke patient to a motel for his long-term recovery will be taken off a roster of agencies offered to provide support after a hospital discharge.  

Adriana LaGrange says she doesn’t know who compiled the list nor who was responsible for it, when Blair Canniff was discharged from an Edmonton hospital and taken to a Travelodge south of the city.

Canniff told CBC he thought it was a joke when his cab pulled up to the motel earlier this month.

His wife told CBC the room could not accommodate his wheelchair, he was fed fast food and his hygiene wasn’t looked after.  

Canniff said the agency providing his care was Contentment Social Services, which did not immediately respond to a list of emailed questions from The Canadian Press.

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LaGrange says she’s sorry Canniff feels the service he ended up getting was misrepresented and there will be a review of all providers on the list.  

“We can only acknowledge that there is an issue here that needs to be addressed. We’ve now been able to determine what that issue is,” LaGrange said Thursday.

“And we are going to go forward making sure that we correct what that issue is.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2024. 

The Canadian Press