Update: Province provides statement on Airdrie Urgent Care renovations delays

On Wednesday afternoon a spokesperson for the province's Health Minister clarified comments previously made to DiscoverAirdrie about the delays to Airdrie's Care Centre renovations.

"Alberta’s government is committed to improving health outcomes for the residents of Airdrie. After receiving a new joint proposal from One Health and QUALICO Communities, Alberta Health decided to pause the Airdrie Urgent Care Centre to thoroughly review this proposal and its innovative project delivery. We are working to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients and residents and will share more information as soon as possible. "

An official for the City of Airdrie also issued a written statement in response.

“The City of Airdrie is aware that a group from the Airdrie region created a proposal for the Minister of Health to provide a unique solution to primary and urgent care in Airdrie. The City was not part of creating the proposal, however, the City facilitated meetings between the group that created it and the Minister of Health. This is a typical role the City takes to connect our community to other levels of government to advance key initiatives in our City."

Previously, Michelle Bates, the Executive Director of the Airdrie Health Foundation wrote in an email that the foundation was notified of the pause to renovations at the city's community health centre earlier this month.

"On January 11, the AHF [Airdrie Health Foundation] was informed the renovations were on pause as the government is looking into other opportunities for our community. This other opportunity, we are told, will be privately delivered and publicly funded."

"Construction was to start in the fall of 2023 but there were a few delays. Planning and drawings had been completed and staff were to start moving out of the health centre this month with construction also to start," she wrote.

Bates noted that the planned renovations were to change the floor plan of the centre resulting in more Urgent Care beds. Among other things, this included adding another triage, as well as bringing the RAZ [Rapid Assessment Zone] and UC beds closer together, which would increase the size of the waiting room. The renovations were meant to be completed by the end of this year.

"The AHF, needless to say, was disappointed with this announcement. We hope that this delay is short and that construction will start very soon in the Airdrie Community Health Centre," Bates concluded.

Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@discoverairdrie.com. You can also message and follow us on Twitter: @AIR1061FM

DiscoverAirdrie encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the DiscoverAirdrie app. For breaking news, weather and contest alerts click here.