Residents in Grande Prairie, Alberta, gathered on March 22, 2026, to share their concerns about the provincial health care system. The townhall meeting was held at the Richmond Reception Centre to discuss how recent government decisions might affect local patients and medical workers.
The event was a key stop on a 16-city provincial tour organized by Friends of Medicare. Dr. Paul Parks, a Medicine Hat emergency physician and former president of the Alberta Medical Association, joined residents to talk about Bill 11, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, which was passed in December 2025.
This new law allows doctors to work in both the public and private health systems at the same time. Alberta is currently the only province in Canada that lets physicians practice in both systems simultaneously, a “dual practice” model that has sparked significant debate among community members.
According to the Angus Reid Institute, 71 per cent of Canadians are dissatisfied with how their provincial government is managing health services. Locally, advocates shared that 72 per cent of Albertans have reported a decline in the quality of their health care over the last year.
Chris Gallaway, the executive director of the advocacy group, helped host the meeting to encourage residents to speak up about their needs. The coalition was founded in September 1979 and has spent decades working to keep medical services public and accessible.
