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Rapid Recap: Targeted Changes Reshape Alberta’s Health Leadership

May 20, 2025

May 16, 2025 –Today, following this week’s rise of the 31st Alberta Legislature, Premier Danielle Smith announced a cabinet shuffle to reshape the United Conservative Party’s (UCP) front bench. The most significant change is the restructuring of the health ministries – with Minister LaGrange and Minister Nixon remaining on the file, but with new additions Minister Wilson and Minister Jones. This new division of the health portfolio appears to be a part of the larger health system reorganization Premier Smith has championed over the last few years.

The focus on health in this restructure points to the Premier’s personal focus on the file, and the conviction that the government has a mandate to make major changes. The province is facing overwhelmed hospital capacity and long wait times, particularly in rural areas, as well as the recent restructuring of Alberta Health Services (AHS) into four new provincial health agencies. Given the speed of the reforms and the growing pains associated with it, these four new health leaders will be expected to provide a new direction for their respective ministries and continue to deliver on the ambitious plans the Premier has set for the province.

Health Restructure Overview

Alberta has made major changes to its health system, moving away from a single, centralized model under AHS to a more specialized and focused structure. As part of this shift, four new provincial health agencies are being created, each responsible for a different part of the health system. These changes were introduced through the Health Statutes Amendment Acts in 2024 and 2025.

The new agencies include:

  • Primary Care Alberta – Responsible for organizing primary health care services, improving access to family doctors, and managing public health programs.
  • Acute Care Alberta – Oversees hospitals, surgeries, emergency care, and cancer treatment, with a focus on reducing wait times and improving outcomes.
  • Recovery Alberta – Leads mental health and addiction services, aiming to expand access to care and support long-term recovery across the province.
  • Assisted Living Alberta – Focuses on continuing care, home care, and support for seniors, people with disabilities, and others who need assistance living in the community.

According to Premier Smith and the Government of Alberta, this new structure was designed to make health care more responsive, efficient, and better suited to meet the needs of all Albertans.

Health Cabinet Roles

 

 

The Honourable Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services
Minister LaGrange, most recently the Minister of Health, encompassing primary and acute care, has now been given the title of Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services. LaGrange previously served as the Minister of Education, and has been the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Red Deer-North since 2019.

 

 

 

 

The Honourable Matt Jones, Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services
Minister Jones was previously the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade, as well as the Minister of Affordability and Utilities and the Minister of Children’s Services. Minister Jones was first elected as the MLA for Calgary-South East in 2019 and will now lead the Ministry of Hospital and Surgical Health Services.

 

 

 

 

The Honourable Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction
Mental Health and Addiction will now be held by Minister Wilson, a portfolio which encompasses the newly restructured Recovery Alberta. Minister Wilson was previously the Minister of Indigenous Relations and has been the MLA for Maskwacîs-Wetaskiwin since 2019.

 

 

 

The Honourable Jason Nixon, Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services
Minister Nixon, previously the Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, will still lead the continuing care wing of the health restructuring, but now has the additional responsibility of social services. MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre since 2015, Minister Nixon previously served as Minister of Environment and Parks, as well as Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

 

 

Other Notable Changes:

  • Minister Rajan Sawhney, who previously held the role of Minister of Advanced Education, is now the Minister of Indigenous Relations.
  • Minister Joseph Schow, who previously held the title of Minister of Tourism and Sport, is now Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration.
  • Two new members to cabinet are Andrew Boitchenko as Minister of Tourism and Sport and Myles McDougall, assuming the role of Minister of Advanced Education.
  • Minister Dan Williams, previous Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, has moved into the role of Minister of Municipal Affairs.
  • Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, remains Minister of Education with the addition of the Childcare portfolio.
  • Two Associate Minister roles have also been introduced: Mohammad Yaseen as Associate Minister of Multiculturalism and Grant Hunter as Associate Minister of Water.

The full cabinet shuffle announcement from the Government of Alberta can be read here.

What’s Next?

  • With the spring session now over, the newly appointed ministers will spend the next few months working internally to organise the restructured ministries.
  • The  province is likely to see three by-elections being held this summer: Edmonton-Ellerslie, Edmonton-Strathcona and Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills.
    • Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi is expected to get his entry into the Legislature through Edmonton-Strathcona.
    • Olds-Didsbury-Three Hill’s by-election comes after Speaker of the House and MLA Nathan Cooper resigned his seat to take on the role of Alberta’s Senior Representative in Washington, D.C.
  • The AHS procurement scandal continues to remain at the forefront as new developments challenge the government’s efforts to push through health care reforms.
    • The procurement scandal has already caused internal fractures with Peter Guthrie, a former cabinet minister, being removed from the UCP caucus over his criticism of the government on its handling of the issue.
    • The Premier’s former Chief of Staff, Marshall Smith, has also filed a defamation lawsuit against fired AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos and the Globe & Mail.
  • The Premier’s recent comments on Alberta separatism in conjunction with the lowering of the threshold for citizen-initiated referendums has brought the issue of national unity to the forefront as the traditionally right-of-centre province reacts to another Liberal government in Ottawa.
    • Indigenous groups and First Nations have reacted forcefully against the idea of Alberta separatism as an affront to treaty rights, and have now revived a lawsuit against the provincial government on the issue of the Alberta Sovereignty Act of 2022.
Please reach out our Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs in Alberta Vesna Sertic (vesna.sertic@santishealth.ca) if you have any questions.