Report by CCPA, Parkland Institute slams Alberta’s Bill 11, says it opens door to U.S.-style health care

Alberta's Bill 11 could pave the way for a two-tier health-care system that mimics the one found in the U.S., say the authors of a new report that was jointly produced by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Parkland Institute.

The Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2), also known as Bill 11, came into force on Dec 18. 

The provincial government has said the legislation looks to make way for a “dual practice” model in Alberta, allowing doctors to work in both the public and private system.

The government has argued this will relieve pressure on the public system, potentially decreasing wait times.

A range of opinions have been voiced about the legislation and how a dual practice model could play out. 

The CCPA and Parkland Institute released their report — “The end of Canadian medicare? Alberta legislation opens the door to U.S. health care” — on Tuesday. 

“This is unlike what exists in any other part of the country. It's a first in Canada,” said Andrew Longhurst, senior researcher with the CCPA, who co-authored the report with Rebecca Graff-McRae, a research manager for the Parkland Institute at the University of Alberta. 

“What it does is it basically undermines the single-payer nature of public health care in Alberta, and it has huge ramifications for the rest of the country.” 

The report argues that Bill 11 establishes two-tier health care by funnelling medical professionals such as physicians, nurses and anaesthesiologists toward private practices such as chartered surgical facilities (CSF). 

In a statement to CBC News in January, Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Matt Jones noted about 20 per cent of Alberta surgeries take place in CSFs.

Two-tier health care is defined in the report as a system that provides faster access to those with the ability to pay privately, and longer public wait times for those who are unable to pay for queue-jumping.

Longhurst said he believes Bill 11 may be violating multiple sections of the Canada Health Act, which could have ramifications for Alberta as the province’s health budget relies on funding from the federal government through the Canada Health Transfer.

When asked about the bill, a spokesperson for Health Canada told CBC News on Tuesday that the federal government “will always protect the Canada Health Act and Canada’s universal health-care system.”

Emmanuelle Ducharme, spokesperson for federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel, noted the federal government has a collaborative approach with all provinces and territories to ensure all Canadians continue to have equitable access to medically necessary care based on their medical needs, not their ability to pay.