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Alberta Proposes $7.7 Billion Physician Package for 2026–27

The plan hinges on Budget 2026 approval, with AMA talks set for March.

Overview

  • The proposal represents a 22% increase over Budget 2025 and allocates $7.3 billion for physician services, $450 million for recruitment and education, and $15 million for other supports.
  • Provincial leaders say more than 13,000 physicians are registered in Alberta, including a record 6,362 family doctors, reflecting multi-year growth.
  • A recent Angus Reid Institute analysis reports Alberta has fewer family physicians per capita than a decade ago, underscoring ongoing access concerns.
  • AMA president Brian Wirzba said the association was not briefed in advance, welcomes the focus on investment, and will review the figures before bargaining resumes in March.
  • The province plans to launch a public dashboard by April 1 to track attachment to family practitioners, and it set targets to boost RN graduates by 48% by 2030 and train 100 more doctors.