Arnold Poohkay frequently visits the Sylvan Lake Community Health Centre for his diabetic blood tests. He expresses satisfaction with the laboratory services, yet like many others in the central Alberta area, he believes the town should enhance its health service offerings.
The Sylvan Lake town council is advocating for the provincial government to establish an Urgent Care Centre (UCC) to take the place of the existing clinic, which is designated as an advanced ambulatory care facility, in order to address the rising demand and alleviate strain on the regional healthcare system.
“Having the service available locally makes me feel much better,” Poohkay remarked.
The ambulatory clinic has limited hours during the day and evening and is restricted in the types of services it can provide. In contrast, an urgent care centre can offer extended or 24-hour services and can accept direct drop-offs of patients via ambulances.
Mayor Megan Hanson stated that the facility, which was established in 2018, represents a significant improvement over a standard walk-in clinic, providing treatment for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions.
Nonetheless, she emphasized the increasing need for additional services.
A local town leader indicated that a 24-hour facility would be “a game-changer” for residents without late-night local options. (Nadeer Hashmi/CBC)
A recent report by the Sylvan Lake and Area Urgent Care Committee revealed that patient visits to the ambulatory clinic exceeded 22,000 in 2025, averaging nearly 430 visits per week. This marks an increase from approximately 18,000 visits in 2023.
“That’s quite significant,” Hanson noted, adding that the facility serves both Sylvan Lake residents and individuals from the surrounding areas.
“The sooner we can enhance the service, the sooner we can ensure we have what we need.”
This demand is further intensified by the town’s demographic profile, she explained. Sylvan Lake, located around 25 kilometers west of Red Deer, has a population of about 17,000 yet attracts roughly 700,000 visitors each year.
“All these factors create a higher demand for all services, including healthcare, compared to other communities of similar size,” Hanson remarked.
The council has been advocating for this transition with the province for approximately two years, she added.
Keeping patients closer to home
The Sylvan Lake health clinic is one of only two advanced ambulatory care centres currently operational in Alberta, according to the provincial government. The other is located in La Crete, about 670 kilometers north of Edmonton, as per Alberta Health Services.
Hanson mentioned that the ambulatory clinic is closed overnight, and ambulances need prior approval to drop off patients. Consequently, ambulances spend a considerable amount of time transporting patients to Red Deer, which makes them unavailable for local emergencies.
Transitioning to a UCC would allow for extended hours, a broader range of services, and direct ambulance drop-offs for less critical emergencies. Hanson noted that life-threatening situations will always require transport to the Red Deer hospital, but a local UCC could manage a significant volume of cases and keep patients nearer to home.
Sylvan Lake’s ambulatory care clinic operates from the local Community Health Centre. Town officials assert that if the province upgrades the service to an urgent care centre, a new facility will be necessary due to the current space being inadequate. (Nadeer Hashmi/CBC)
Hanson explained that the town initially requested an urgent care facility while advocating for healthcare infrastructure back in 2016.
As a result, many residents mistakenly believe that such a facility already exists, she added.
Resident Francis Rovero expressed that a full-scale centre in town would be a significant enhancement compared to having to travel to other communities for medical care.
“We want to clarify what we currently have and what we’re requesting,” Hanson commented.
Province says planning is underway
A representative for Adriana LaGrange, Alberta’s minister of hospital and surgical health services, informed CBC News that the government is working to enhance access for Sylvan Lake and its surrounding areas.
“Planning is currently in progress to upgrade the Sylvan Lake Advanced Ambulatory Care Centre to an Urgent Care Centre,” stated LaGrange’s press secretary, Maddison McKee.
This initiative is part of the 2026 budget’s $39 million commitment, which includes $25 million in new funding, to continue the development of eight new urgent care centres across the province, including locations in west Edmonton, east Calgary, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Cold Lake, and Fort McMurray.
This is in addition to ongoing funding for the over $1.8 billion redevelopment project of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
The Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre caters to nearly half a million individuals in Central Alberta and frequently operates beyond 100 per cent capacity. (Heather Marcoux/CBC)
Although Sylvan Lake was not included among the eight announced locations for new facilities, McKee indicated in her statement that decisions regarding the transition of an existing site depend on patient volumes, demand trends, and local population growth.
She also mentioned that currently, over 35 per cent of emergency department visits are for non-life-threatening issues that could be addressed at urgent care centres.
‘Shoehorned’ into a retail space
If the province approves the future transition of the Sylvan Lake clinic, some believe a new building will be crucial.
Susan Samson, chair of the Sylvan Lake and Area Urgent Care Committee and a former town mayor, noted that the existing facility was adapted from a retail space and is already at capacity.
“It’s extremely cramped. The needs for equipment are limited. It feels like it has been shoehorned into that building,” Samson remarked.
She added that the current site shares an entrance and parking lot with other health services, which are often at full capacity.
Additionally, an urgent care centre would necessitate dedicated ambulance bays, larger treatment areas, and more staff space, she noted.
Despite these infrastructural challenges, Samson believes that a 24-hour facility would be “a game-changer” for residents who currently lack local options during the night.
Hanson emphasized that given Sylvan Lake’s unique demographic of a rapidly growing tourist population and overall residential growth, the need for enhanced services is evident.
“This is a location where we could alleviate some of that regional burden,” Hanson stated. “We would love to see that right in our community.”
