Alberta shifting health-care grants to ‘activity-based,’ competitive surgical funding

Alberta is fundamentally changing how it funds hospital surgeries, but critics say the change won’t improve the public system and will only accelerate more care in the privatized system.Premier Danielle Smith announced Monday a new “activity-based” model is on the way, to be implemented for some surgeries in 2026. The model ties public funding to the number and type of procedures performed.Smith said the program will drive costs down by fostering competition among public providers and those who perform publicly funded procedures in private clinics.