Bow Island among Alberta communities receiving funding to strengthen rural primary care

The province says the investments are intended to help rural communities improve local access to primary care and expand team-based services.

“These grants are about making sure rural Albertans can get the care they need in their own communities. By helping clinics hire more health professionals and grow their teams, we’re making it easier for families to get timely, reliable care closer to home,” Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services Justin Wright said.

The provincial government says the Municipality Supported Clinics Grant has already helped communities make changes to local health services.

Bruderheim has extended clinic hours, while Bashaw has increased its clinic availability from two to five days a week and achieved same-day appointments. Consort has reported serving 36 per cent more patients.

Bow Island was not identified in the provincial announcement as having specific service changes resulting from the funding.

The province is also providing almost $8 million through the Rural Team Recruitment Grant. In the latest intake, $3.4 million was awarded to 23 clinics across Alberta, supporting 53 new full-time health-care positions.

Previous recipients have reported increases in the number of patients they can serve. The Barrhead Family Clinic saw its patient capacity increase by almost 30 per cent after hiring patient-care co-ordinators, and Crowsnest Medical Clinic’s grant-funded social worker has served 98 patients through advocacy, care co-ordination and connections to community resources.

“These grants have helped us build much-needed capacity within the Consort Medical Clinic, strengthening our primary care team and expanding the care we can provide locally,” Clinic manager at Consort Medical Clinic Kayla Donohue said.

“This investment is helping create more sustainable access to primary care for our rural community.”

Ron Wiebe, parliamentary secretary for Rural Health, said the investments are intended to help communities build stronger health-care teams.

“Communities across Alberta are benefiting from these investments as clinics bring on additional team members and enhance the high-quality, team-based care that rural families rely on,” Wiebe said.

The province says the Rural Team Recruitment Grant will help fill 105 new health-care positions. The second intake was added following a strong response to the first round in 2024.

Both grant programs stem from the Rural Health Action Plan and the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System report.

The funding is also part of the Canada-Alberta Agreement to Work Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians, including in rural and remote areas.

by Jesse Gill

Bow Island among Alberta communities receiving funding to strengthen rural primary care

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