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By The Canadian Press

Kenney to scrap plans for Edmonton medical superlab

Mar 11, 2019 | 3:14 PM

EDMONTON – Alberta Opposition Leader Jason Kenney says a United Conservative government would scrap a medical superlab set to be built in Edmonton.

Kenney says the superlab is nothing more than what he calls a bureaucratic `”boondoggle” to reorganize lab tests that are already handled effectively by the private sector.

He says cancelling the superlab would save taxpayers $590 million, which could be directed to front-line care.

Construction is set to begin this year on the south campus of the University of Alberta.

The facility is part of a broader NDP government plan to integrate lab services by 2022 at two major hubs one in Edmonton and one at the Calgary Cancer Centre, which is under construction.

Kenney also says his party would pause government plans to put all lab tests under direct government control.

by The Canadian Press