Major investments in Health Care in Calgary and Edmonton

The Alberta Cunstruction Magazine reports there's a lot of work to be done in the years to come.

For Health and Wellness for just the two regions, there’s more than $1.6 billion worth of work. For advanced education, there’s $250 million for Calgary and more than $400 million for Edmonton over the next four years.

A number of factors are driving the construction boom in health care facilities: an aging population, an increase in population in high-growth areas such as Fort McMurray, and a desire to keep Alberta on the leading edge in research, technology, and world-class facilities.

The Alberta government reports funding for Health and Wellness is up $1.3 billion (12.2 per cent) for the 2007–08 budget year.
Over the next three years, the Alberta government has slated $2.6 billion for health facilities, including $250 million to replace the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Grande Prairie, $221 million to cover cost escalation on health projects that have already been approved, and $26.4 million for the Northern Lights Health Region to build infrastructure for health care providers in the regions and new community health clinics.
In addition, a helicopter platform will be added at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre.

Money will also go towards 30 previously approved projects.
Those include construction of community health centres in Red Deer, Calgary, and Edmonton, as well as long-term care facilities in Red Deer, Edmonton, High Prairie, Vermilion, and Vegreville.

The new multi-use facilities will offer excellence in health care for patients and learning opportunities for post-secondary students.

For instance, the Edmonton Clinic, a partnership between Capital Health and University of Alberta, models itself after the Mayo Clinic, a one-stop shop that houses multiple clinics in one place.
Construction, expected to open in 2011 at a cost of $909 million, begins this year.

In Calgary, 2008 marks the first full year of work on the $1.25-billion South Health Campus. The campus will bring together wellness, health research and education on a 44-acre campus located at Deerfoot Trail and 196th Avenue SE.

The 160,000 sq.m health campus will consist of heath services, including surgery and operating rooms, pediatrics, obstetrics, mental heath, as well as emergency and outpatient services. It will also focus on wellness services and research and education. Phase I is scheduled to open in the spring of 2011.

Calgary moms and company owners recall gourmet baby food

A small company, run by two Calgary mothers is voluntarily recalling some of its gourmet baby food after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned the product could harm children with severe peanut allergies.

Some Baby Gourmet products may contain peanut protein or sulphites not mentioned on the label, said the warning issued last Monday.

The baby foods in question include organic Moroccan lamb with couscous, which might contain undeclared peanut protein, and seasonal fruit compote, which contains undeclared sulphites, said Garfield Balsom, a food safety and recall specialist with the food and inspection agency.

Peanuts are not used in any of the locally made foods, but the dried couscous could have come in contact with peanuts in the packing plant before being sent to Calgary, said Jennifer Broe, who launched the company with her sister two years ago.

So far, only one allergic reaction has been reported in connection to Baby Gourmet products. Calgary Health Region officials said Monday the patient suffered an allergic reaction caused by the peanut protein in the product. The patient was treated at a physician's office and did not require hospitalization.

The recall involves foods that were sold at the Calgary Farmer's Market and at Mise en Place in Lakeview Plaza. The products have only been distributed in Calgary.

There has been one reported illness associated with the products, which are common food allergens.

The recipes included in the recall will be discontinued until Baby Gourmet can finish a thorough investigation of all ingredients, said Broe.

"We make this food like it's for our own children. We will definitely take every precaution to look into the recipes and research all the ingredients to make sure everything is listed," she said.

Source: Canada.com

Calgary Health Region wants more than 12% budget increase

"Premier Ed better get a few tips from Santa on this one!"

When asked if the Calgary Health Region wants a big increase in bucks from the province this coming year, bossman Jack Davis says "yes".

When asked if the requested hike is in the double digits in percentage, Jack says "yes".
And when asked if it's around 11% or even 12% next year, Jack responds, "at least that."

"I think the provincial government will have a difficult time with our budget," says the health region heavy-lifter, speaking a sentence only needing a "no kidding" to complete it.

"The budget pressure is going to continue in Calgary. We would like it to be less, but we have an obligation to give the government the best advice we can on what the size of the health care system in Calgary should be and ensure it is properly funded."

Or in other words: "Gimme the money or face the heat!"

Jack is one smart guy, who operated in the highest ranks of the world of Ralph, in a time of cutting budgets and calls for collective sacrifice. A time when we were told we could all put up our feet once the deficit and debt were chapters in the history books.

Read the rest of the story here