The Beaverlodge Municipal Hospital replacement project will receive a $25 million funding boost from the province after the Government of Alberta closed its 2024-25 budget.
Grande Prairie MLA Nolan Dyck calls the budget a “responsible one” with an emphasis on education and healthcare. He says the investment in northern healthcare is welcome, especially in Beaverlodge which acts as an additional growth area for the region.
“Beaverlodge is so important, the whole area, that is such a catchment for us all the way from the BC border,” he says. “It’s an important zone, it’s also an overflow opportunity for us to continue to build really high-quality structures, really high-quality healthcare in the north.”
Additionally, $126 million has been allocated to increase health education initiatives over the next three years. Northwestern Polytechnic has recently emphasized its health education programming through projects like the new Primary Care Paramedic Program.
“In health and education we saw a significant budget increase from over the years, I think it was just over four per cent on both, so we have some opportunity to see continual growth in those areas,” MLA Dyck says.
The MLA adds that he and his provincial colleagues continue to “look forward” to seeing more health items coming to fruition this year.