Calgary, surrounding communities say Airdrie urgent care closures will impact region
Global News
The urgent care facility at the Airdrie Community Health Centre will close temporarily on weekend nights from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. for eight weeks due a lack of doctors.
A group of municipal officials from Calgary and surrounding communities is concerned temporary closures at Airdrie’s urgent care facility will have regional impacts.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) announced Thursday the urgent care facility at the Airdrie Community Health Centre will close temporarily on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. for eight weeks due a lack of doctors to fill shifts.
The temporary closures came up as an urgent discussion at Friday’s Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB) meeting, which includes representatives from Airdrie, Rockyview County, Cochrane, Okotoks and Foothills County.
Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek called the situation in Airdrie “dire,” and said it would have an impact to neighbouring communities.
“We don’t have a north healthcare facility in our city. A lot of the residents from Ward 3 are accessing Airdrie for healthcare,” Gondek told reporters. “This has massive impacts on everybody in the region.”
Foothills County councillor Kevin Hanson said the county “relies entirely” on urban communities for healthcare.
“There are no medical facilities in Rockyview really, that’s why it’s important that CMRB is standing firm in this and supporting Airdrie,” Hanson told reporters. “It’s a critical piece of regional infrastructure and it’s really no different than water, sewer, or anything else that we deal with as a board.”
The CMRB said it is demanding a meeting with Alberta health minister Jason Copping.
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