Alberta adds physicians and nurses faster than any other province, data show

Alberta grew its health-care workforce and performed more surgeries per capita than the national average in the past year, according to a provincial government news release issued Monday citing data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

The province added nearly 750 physicians last year, growing its physician workforce by 6.3 per cent compared with a national average of 3.7 per cent. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta recorded 14,661 fully registered physicians as of Sept. 30, 2026, an increase of 1,244 from the same date in 2025.

Alberta also led every province in nursing growth in 2024, adding nurses at a net rate of 10.3 per 10,000 residents — almost 2.5 times the rate in British Columbia, which recorded 4.19, and more than triple the rate in Ontario, which recorded 3.12.

On surgical volumes, Alberta performed 606 procedures per 10,000 residents in 2025–26, above the national benchmark of 584. Since 2019 the province has increased the number of surgeries by 15 per cent, tied for the highest growth rate in Canada and four percentage points above the national average.

Average physician payments in Alberta ran about three per cent above the national average, the CIHI data show.

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, said, "Albertans deserve access to world-class health care, and these numbers show we're making real progress. We're building a stronger health care system and making Alberta a premier destination for health care professionals across Canada," one statement said.

Justin Wright, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, added, "Alberta is leading the country in physician growth, and our government is focused on building on that momentum by strengthening primary care, improving access to family doctors and ensuring more Albertans can get the care they need, closer to home."

The CIHI data also showed that 86 per cent of Albertans report having a regular primary care provider, above the national average of 83 per cent. The release said other data sources have placed the provincial attachment rate at 88 per cent.

On wait times, the CIHI length-of-stay figures showed Alberta patients are admitted an average of four hours faster than the national average, and less urgent patients discharged in Alberta go home more than an hour earlier than the national average.

The full CIHI data and the provincial government's release are available at alberta.ca.