The Alberta government has put $2 million toward planning a big expansion of the Strathcona Community Hospital in Sherwood Park, a move that could mean shorter trips for inpatient care for folks living in Fort Saskatchewan and across the Edmonton area.
On May 4, 2026, the province announced the planning cash, saying the proposed project would add up to 120 inpatient beds – the hospital’s first ever – plus shelled space for 32 future beds. New surgical suites could handle about 4,100 operations a year, and there would also be two endoscopy rooms, specialized ambulatory clinics, more diagnostic imaging, a pharmacy, lab services, a dialysis unit, and mental health supports built right in.
For people in Fort Saskatchewan, where the population is closing in on 30,000 and growing fast, the expansion could cut down on the drive for hospital stays and surgeries. Right now, more than 100,000 residents from Sherwood Park and the area around it have to travel into Edmonton for inpatient care. Fort Saskatchewan does have its own Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital with a 24-hour emergency room, but many still need to head to the city for more complex treatment.
“This investment gives all of us confidence that the Strathcona Community Hospital can grow alongside the community it serves,” said Kathryn Luedtke, vice-chair of the Strathcona Community Hospital Foundation, which has been raising money for the hospital since 2009.
The business plan for the expansion is expected to be wrapped up by fall 2026, so the project will be in line for possible funding in the provincial budget the next year. The planning money is part of the $4.9 billion set aside for health infrastructure in Budget 2026. The province says the Strathcona County area was pegged for more acute care capacity because of its growing population, which hit nearly 104,000 in 2024.
