Grande Prairie council writes health minister with concerns over local hospital shortages
A northern Alberta city wants to know what the government is doing to address health-care staff shortages that are closing beds not just locally, but across the province.
Grande Prairie city council on Tuesday sent a letter to Health Minister Tyler Shandro expressing concern about the delay of 45 elective surgeries at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital as well as the transfer of nine patients to other facilities.
The accommodations were made, Alberta Health Services said in separate announcements the previous week, because of an influx in COVID-19 patients requiring treatment and "unexpected staff vacancies."
- Grande Prairie patients transferred to make room for COVID-19 cases, as city 2nd in active case rate
- Alberta delays 30 per cent of non-urgent surgeries in Edmonton as COVID-19 cases rise
Councillors wrote they were concerned about the immediate and long-term impacts of the shortages on their community, which will see a new and larger hospital open within months.
"Could the Minister provide our community with an update on the staffing challenges at the QEII hospital and what steps AHS is taking to address them?"
Council described the city of Grande Prairie as a "willing partner" that would work with the government as Alberta's fourth COVID-19 wave develops.
It was signed by Mayor Jackie Clayton and also sent to local MLA Tracy Allard, Finance Minister Travis Toews, and AHS board member Natalia Reiman.
In a statement to CTV News, Shandro's press secretary, Steve Buick, said the minister would give Clayton an update as soon as possible.
"Minister Shandro feels for patients who are having surgery postponed, and for staff who are working to ensure the safety of all patients, in Grande Prairie and across the province," Buick wrote.
"The pandemic remains a challenge for the coming weeks but in the longer term, the Minister is looking forward to significant enhancements in access to care in the new hospital, including new cancer care services and shorter wait times for surgery."
According to the latest data, Grande Prairie, with 480 active cases, was the second amongst Alberta cities and towns for rate of active cases per 100,000.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Gas prices see long weekend drop in parts of Canada, but analysts say relief not likely to last
The Canada Day long weekend saw gas prices plummet in parts of the country, but the relief at the pumps may not stay for very long, analysts say. The decreases come after crude oil prices slid in June following the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes, sparking fears of a recession.

LIVE @ 10:30 PT | Police to provide update on bank shooting in Saanich, B.C.
Police investigating a shooting that happened at a bank in Saanich, B.C., earlier this week will provide an update on the case during a news conference on Saturday.
TD 'significantly' downgrades home sale, price forecasts
A new report from TD says Canadian home sales could fall by nearly one-quarter on average this year and remain low into 2023.
Anti-Taliban law could be tweaked to get more humanitarian aid to Afghans: minister
A law outlawing any dealings with the Taliban, which charities complain is impeding their ability to help needy Afghans, could be adjusted by the federal government to give more flexibility to aid agencies.
Biden intends to nominate a conservative, anti-abortion lawyer to federal judgeship, Kentucky Democrats say
U.S. President Joe Biden intends to nominate an anti-abortion Republican lawyer to a federal judgeship, two Kentucky Democrats informed of the decision say.
Russian forces press assault on eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk
Russian forces are pounding the city of Lysychansk and its surroundings in an all-out attempt to seize the last stronghold of resistance in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk province, the governor said Saturday.
'You do not want this' virus: California man with monkeypox urges others to get vaccinated
A California man has posted a widely-shared video in an attempt to educate people about the monkeypox virus outbreak, to encourage people to get vaccinated if they're eligible and to make it very clear: 'You do not want this.'
Technoblade, Minecraft YouTuber watched by millions, dead at 23
Minecraft YouTuber Technoblade has died at the age of 23 following a year-long battle with cancer, his family announced Friday.
Quebec could see increase in unhoused people as leases expire across province: housing group
A prominent housing advocacy group fears Quebec could see an increase in households left without a permanent place to live as leases expire across the province on July 1.