Acute Care Alberta has renewed its agreement with a private Edmonton surgical center for another year, despite ongoing probes into health procurement and contracting. The provincial agency confirmed to CBC News that the new contract totals $34 million and spans from November 1, 2025, to October 31, 2026, covering roughly 4,000 orthopedic procedures.
The contract was posted on Acute Care Alberta’s website after CBC News inquired about whether the arrangement would extend beyond the previous agreement’s expiry. This marks the third time ASG has been selected to perform publicly funded orthopedic surgeries—primarily hip and knee operations—at the south Edmonton facility.
Former Alberta Health Services (AHS) CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos is suing AHS and the health minister for wrongful dismissal, alleging termination after she raised concerns about irregularities in AHS contracting and procurement. Court documents show she believed some chartered surgical facilities (CSFs) charged markedly higher prices per procedure, and she claimed political pressure to extend ASG’s contract. In response, the government and AHS deny the claims, stating she was fired for failing to meet duties. Neither side’s allegations have been proven in court.
Both Alberta’s auditor general and the RCMP are investigating conflict-of-interest and political-interference concerns in contracting. A government-ordered Wyant report found real or perceived conflicts in how AHS awarded CSF contracts. The new Acute Care Alberta agency took charge of CSF contracting in April, as part of broader health-system restructuring.
Wyant’s report, released in October, contends that Alberta Health and AHS did not follow established policies when awarding the orthopedic contract to ASG. Although ASG initially did not win the bid, it was later offered a temporary contract without fresh proposals being requested. Acute Care Alberta and Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Matt Jones’s spokesperson did not provide direct answers about the contract extension.
A Wyant-linked video report highlights that two former AHS employees had real or perceived conflicts of interest, including one who provided ASG with advice after leaving AHS. Analysts and opposition voices question why ASG’s contract extension proceeds amid ongoing probes, stressing the need for accountability and value for money. Critics argue that disparate pricing among CSFs undermines fiscal responsibility and urge an independent public inquiry into health procurement.
Meanwhile, work on a new Enoch-area surgical facility continues. The River Cree Medical Professional Centre, a collaboration between the Enoch Cree Nation and Weiss Medical, is expected to house River Cree Weiss Surgical Care+. It aims to perform about 3,000 procedures per year and plan to use three of six operating rooms for orthopedic surgeries. The facility targets completion in late 2026 and is pursuing accreditation.
Although a contract with ASG remains active, negotiations with bidders for two additional CSFs in Red Deer and Lethbridge were canceled. The proposed Prairie Surgical Centre—owned by a trio of doctors tied to ASG and former AHS consultant Blayne Iskiw—faces scrutiny amid Mentzelopoulos’ wrongful-dismissal suit and related questions about procurement ethics.
In the meantime, Alberta plans to rework hospital funding so it follows the number and type of procedures performed. An open call for private-surgery providers is underway to gauge interest, capacity, and pricing, with the goal of expanding private-surgery roles and freeing hospital operating rooms for more urgent or complex cases. The current spectrum shows roughly one-fifth of Alberta’s surgeries occur in CSFs, with officials signaling a broader shift toward more privatized, outcome-focused delivery models.
What this means for patients and taxpayers is a debate over cost, access, and accountability: can private facilities deliver timely care without compromising transparency or value? How should governance adapt to ensure competitive pricing and high-quality outcomes? Share your thoughts on whether continuing or expanding private-surgery contracting is the right path for Alberta’s health system, and what safeguards would best protect public interests.
