A coalition of health advocacy groups is pressing the federal government to scrutinize Alberta's Bill 11, also known as the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2). Spearheaded by Canadian Doctors for Medicare, the coalition of 24 organizations has issued a formal call to action to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Health Minister Marjorie Michel, urging them to assess the legality of the bill and wield their authority, including discretionary penalties outlined in the Canada Health Act.
Bill 11, passed last year, permits doctors to operate within both the public and private healthcare sectors, a move critics like Dr. Danyaal Raza of Canadian Doctors for Medicare, contend fosters a two-tiered system. They argue this contravenes the Canada Health Act by potentially allowing patients to be charged for essential medical services. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has defended the legislation, asserting it will streamline practice rules, drug coverage, and health card administration, ultimately reducing wait times and incentivizing doctors to remain in the province. The Alberta government states that Bill 11 aims to "modernize practice rules for physicians, drug coverage and health cards while implementing administrative changes to meet the needs of Albertans".
However, opponents warn that enabling physicians to prioritize more lucrative private services will drain resources from the public system, lengthening wait times for the majority of Albertans. A report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Parkland Institute supports this view, suggesting Bill 11 could pave the way for a U. S.-style healthcare model, increasing costs and potentially inviting U. S. investment in Alberta's private healthcare market. Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare, stated that Bill 11 "puts our single-payer universal health care system at risk while bringing two-tier American-style health care to Alberta".
The federal government has yet to comment on whether it will formally review Bill 11, but the pressure from advocacy groups is mounting, raising concerns about the future of equitable healthcare access in Alberta and potentially across Canada.
