I can't imagine how far that $1.3B would have done for healthcare instead of being thrown towards a losing bet on Keystone from the Kenney government. The cost of an average hospital stay in Alberta is $9220 in 2021-2022, the highest of all the provinces. A higher cost means that a hospital or region spent relatively more per patient stay. And the type of hospital being stayed at can impact the cost as well.
If, for example, that money went to build new facilities like the South Edmonton Hospital (a hospital that should have been built by now based on demand), that would have helped improve access, wait times, and hospital costs in the Edmonton region by adding 491 beds. And even that won't be enough for growing demand. $1.3B could have been put towards another new hospital with similar capacity, or to beef up existing facilities with more beds.
Alberta needs more ICU and non-ICU beds and facilities, and the resources to staff them. It's not difficult.
The extremely myopic view of healthcare by consecutive conservative governments is showing its warts. They want to redesign parts of the car at a time when your bigger concern to solve immediate issues is by putting up the back row of seats.
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