A Chestermere community town hall on Sunday, May 31, 2026 gives residents a chance to talk about the pressures facing public health care. The event, hosted by non-profit group Friends of Medicare, is at 7:00 PM at Camp Chestermere on East Lakeview Road.
The conversation will be led by Dr. Paul Parks, an emergency physician in Medicine Hat and former president of the Alberta Medical Association. In January 2026, Dr. Parks joined other doctors in asking the province to declare a state of emergency over hospital overcrowding. He stated that the situation had reached a point where patients are dying in waiting rooms.
Chestermere does not have a hospital with an emergency department. Residents needing acute care must travel roughly 25 to 35 kilometres to hospitals in Calgary or Strathmore, making discussions about funding and access directly relevant to the community.
Hospital spending is a central topic. A report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found real per capita hospital spending in Alberta fell four per cent between 2014 and 2023. At the same time, the province has completed a health system reorganization that replaced Alberta Health Services with four new agencies at a projected cost of $85 million over two years.
Friends of Medicare has advocated for public health care in Alberta since 1979. The Chestermere session is one of the final stops on a province-wide series of town halls.
