Province invests $9 million into rural primary care

Aug 26, 2026 | 12:07 PM

The Government of Alberta announced its investing $9 million in rural primary care.

Officials say nearly $8 million of the investment is through the Rural Team Recruitment Grant to help rural clinics recruit and grow their care teams.

This means $3.4 million was awarded to 23 clinics across the province to support 53 new full-time health care positions in rural and remote communities.

“These grants are about making sure rural Albertans can get the care they need in their own communities,” said Justin Wright, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services. “By helping clinics hire more health professionals and grow their teams, we’re making it easier for families to get timely, reliable care closer to home.”

The Barrhead Family Clinic, which received funding through a previous round of the Rural Team Recruitment Grant, increased the number of patients served by almost 30 per cent after recruiting patient care coordinators.

In addition, $1 million has been awarded to seven municipalities through the Municipality Supported Clinics Grant program to strengthen local care clinics, including Picture Butte, Bruderheim Bow Island, Lac La Biche County, Bashaw, Delburne and Consort.

“These grants have helped us build much-needed capacity within the Consort Medical Clinic, strengthening our primary care team and expanding the care we can provide locally,” said Kayla Donohue, clinic manager, Consort Medical Clinic. “This investment is helping create more sustainable access to primary care for our rural community.”

by rdnewsNOW staff