Alberta plans $141M upgrade for Edmonton hospital

Key Takeaways:

• Alberta’s government is investing over $141 million into Alberta Hospital Edmonton (AHE) to support infrastructure upgrades, new facility construction, and demolition of outdated buildings, aiming to expand and modernize mental health and addiction services.
• The funding includes $38 million for the 75-bed Edmonton Recovery Community (opening 2027) and over $90 million for the 150-bed Northern Alberta Compassionate Intervention Centre (opening 2029), both focused on long-term addiction treatment and intensive intervention care.
• The project will increase Edmonton’s addiction treatment capacity by 225 beds while maintaining AHE’s existing 460 treatment beds, ensuring continuous care during construction and future improvements in service delivery.

The Whole Story:

Alberta’s government is putting forward more than $141 million for new construction and facility improvements at Alberta Hospital Edmonton.

The capital funding will go towards site improvements and new infrastructure at the Alberta Hospital Edmonton (AHE) campus. AHE has been delivering mental health services for more than 100 years, first opening its doors in 1923.

“Alberta Hospital Edmonton has provided psychiatric care to Albertans for more than 100 years,” said Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. “Adding new addiction treatment facilities to the campus is a step forward in building mental health and addiction system capacity. This investment will ensure Alberta Hospital Edmonton is helping Albertans pursue recovery for years to come.”

The capital funding will support upgrades for campus infrastructure, unit renovations and demolition of vacated buildings at Alberta Hospital Edmonton. This investment will also support building the Edmonton Recovery Community and the Northern Alberta Compassionate Intervention Centre on the AHE campus. Overall, the capital investment will help maintain important hospital infrastructure for the existing 460 treatment beds and outpatient psychiatric services while also increasing addiction treatment capacity within Edmonton by 225 beds.

Construction of both the Edmonton Recovery Community and the Northern Alberta Compassionate Intervention Centre is expected to begin in 2026.

“For many years, the Alberta Hospital Edmonton has played an important role supporting Albertans with complex mental health issues,” said Martin Long, Minister of Infrastructure. “We are proud to support a modernization project that will not only enhance this facility but also ensure that the most advanced and effective care is available for those in need.”

Edmonton Recovery Community

A capital investment of $38 million will go towards building the Edmonton Recovery Community, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2027. The 75-bed facility will provide residents with holistic, long-term addiction treatment for up to one year.

Recovery communities focus on mental health and well-being, individual and group therapy, development of healthy habits and social skills, employment training and other supports that put residents on a pathway to success. The goal is for every participant to leave the program not only drug free, but as healthy members of society with strong connections to the community.

Northern Alberta Compassionate Intervention Centre

More than $90 million in capital funding will go towards building the Northern Alberta Compassionate Intervention Centre, which is expected to be completed in 2029. This new 150-bed centre will provide patients with access to a full spectrum of mental health and addiction supports to address their complex health needs. The centre will include spaces for intake assessments, medically supported detox, counselling, individual and group therapy and more for those receiving care under the proposed Compassionate Intervention Act.

As part of the public health care system in Alberta, the Northern Alberta Compassionate Intervention Centre will be operated by Recovery Alberta and provide intensive treatment to patients under a secure compassionate intervention care plan. The goal is to provide stabilization, assessment and treatment so Albertans can successfully transition to community supports, such as a recovery community or psychiatric treatment, to continue their recovery journey.

Alberta Hospital Edmonton revitalization

More than $13 million in capital maintenance and renewal funding will go towards updating the AHE campus infrastructure, including various mechanical upgrades, water main repairs, boiler repairs, roof replacements and unit renovations (building 8). Two vacant buildings, building 1 and building 11, will be demolished along with the water tower. Planning for the demolition of three more vacant buildings (buildings 2, 5 and 7) is also underway.

Since 1923, AHE has played an important role in caring for those with complex mental health needs. Today, the hospital continues to provide both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care to Albertans. This includes 460 treatment beds for forensic psychiatric care, adult psychiatric care and the Protection of Children Abusing Drugs program. Treatment beds for youth under mandatory treatment orders will eventually move to the Northern Alberta Youth Recovery Centre upon completion, which will create more treatment space for adult care at AHE.

Patient care at AHE will not be impacted by the construction of the new buildings or the demolition of the vacant buildings.

Key facts:

• Alberta Hospital Edmonton opened in 1923 following the First World War, and was primarily focused on treating veterans with what is now known as post-traumatic stress disorder.
• AHE has a strong history of mental health care with a focus on recovery-oriented care and addressing substance use challenges.
• In the 1970s and 80s, Alberta Hospital Edmonton was the province’s largest psychiatric treatment facility with about 650 treatment beds.
• Building 1 was the first dormitory on the hospital campus and contained the Highwood School until closing in 2006; building 11 was known as the Cottonwood building.