Over the next three years, the provincial government is committing significant funding to develop a new health centre in Cardston, intended to improve access to urgent and acute care in southern Alberta.
The Government of Alberta said the $74 million investment will support construction of the Cardston Health Centre, which will consolidate emergency and acute care with community health services, public health, home care and mental health and addictions supports in one location.
Premier Danielle Smith said the project will replace an aging facility and improve access to care in the region.
“This region needs reliable access to modern services, and we’re acting on that,” Smith said. “It means families in the Cardston-Kainai region can get the care they need closer to home.”
Health Minister Matt Jones said expanding acute care capacity in rural Alberta is key to improving patient outcomes.
“By expanding acute care capacity in rural Alberta through projects such as the new Cardston Health Centre, we are improving patient outcomes and increasing access to health care services,” Jones said.
The current facility in Cardston is among the oldest in the province, having been built in 1959, and no longer meets modern safety, accessibility and infection control standards.
Officials said the new centre will raise inpatient capacity to 24 beds from 19, including labour and delivery-postpartum, isolation and bariatric rooms, along with up to 11 emergency treatment spaces.
Infrastructure Minister Martin Long said the project is part of a broader effort to modernize rural health infrastructure.
The province said the Cardston-Kainai region serves more than 16,000 residents and sees about 500,000 annual visitors to the Waterton National Park area.
The Blood Tribe Department of Health has been invited by the province to take part in planning discussions to help ensure the facility reflects local needs and supports culturally appropriate care.
Cardston-Siksika MLA Joseph Schow said the project represents a significant investment in the community.
“A new hospital is a major investment to the community and perhaps the largest Cardston has ever seen,” Schow said.
Cardston Mayor Paula Brown said the investment will benefit residents across the region.
“This vital investment brings improved care, strengthens our community and ensures residents in Cardston and surrounding areas have access to the health care they deserve,” Brown said.
The total cost of the new Cardston Health Centre is estimated at $474 million, with funding included in the province’s Budget 2026 capital plan, which allocates $4.9 billion for health infrastructure.
