Alberta health facilities already received $50 million in upgrades this year: Hoffman

Health Minister Sarah Hoffman says her government is well on its way to meeting its commitments to improve health care facilities in Alberta.

Hoffman provided an update on health care spending at the Sturgeon Community Hospital in St. Albert Monday.

She said Alberta hospitals have had over $55 million in upgrades of the $131 million her government allocated towards improving health facilities in its 2016/17 budget, with over $750 million over the next five years.

READ MORE: Alberta Budget 2016: NDP opts to spend big, deficit hits $10.4B

Funds are allocated each year through the Infrastructure Maintenance Program, which is provided directly to Alberta Health Services to address maintenance needs throughout the province.

“Many of the upgrades that need to happen aren’t fancy but they are necessary and have been put off far too long,” Hoffman said.

So far, more than 600 health facility maintenance and renewal projects have been approved for funding. The approved projects are in various stages from design and procurement, to completion and testing.

READ MORE: Alberta NDP says hospital infrastructure years behind because of neglect

As for larger replacement projects like the Royal Alexandra and Misericordia hospitals in Edmonton, the province has set aside $20 million for planning, but no timeline for construction has been put in place.

Here are some examples of facility improvements completed so far this year:

• Fort MacLeod Health Centre – $307,000
Repairs to Water system
Upgrades to fire alarm system
• Ponoka Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury – $200,000
Roof repairs
• Crowsnest Pass Health Centre – $240,000
Heating system
Boiler upgrades
• Taber Health Centre – $1.3 million
Heating system
New parking lot
• William J. Cadzow- Lac La Biche Healthcare Centre – $1.8 million
Chiller unit
Replacement of skylights
Upgrades to medical air systems

Projects currently underway include:
• Sturgeon Community Hospital – $2 million
Laboratory renovations
Boiler system replacement
• St. Therese-St. Paul Healthcare Centre – $2.8 million
Roof replacement
Repairs to Skylight
• Boyle Healthcare Centre – $5 million
Replace a fire alarm system
Roofing repairs
Replace boilers
Upgrades to circulation pumps and controls
• Wabasca/Desmarais Heathcare Centre – $3 million
New EMS station