Passed into law on May 7, 2025, Bill 55 introduces significant changes to Alberta’s healthcare system, particularly in the governance and delivery of public health services.

Key highlights:

• Public Health Reorganization: All public health functions from Alberta Health Services (AHS) to a newly created agency, Primary Care Alberta.
• Impact on Front-Line Programs: Services such as newborn screenings, communicable disease control, well-baby clinics, routine immunizations, and health promotion programs will be transferred to the new agency.
• Government Oversight: Medical officers of health will now report directly to the provincial government rather than AHS.

These changes have also introduced some temporary uncertainty as it remains unclear which AHS employees will be affected. Negotiations with the various healthcare unions in Alberta may be required to determine the outcome of staff reallocations.

Lastly, this legislation has caused public health experts to raise questions about the independence of the healthcare system and what effects having more direct control by the Premier and cabinet ministers may have.

SAC-Alberta is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to seek opportunities to attend consultation sessions and raise the concerns of SAC members.

You can read more in this news article.

SAC-Saskatchewan is working to improve access to ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists in Saskatchewan by supporting a direct referral pathway from S-LPS and audiologists. The current system requires patients to see a family physician before being referred to an ENT, a step that can delay care and create unnecessary barriers for patients who have already been assessed by an S-LP or audiologists.

To address this, we are continuing to work with representatives from the College of Speech Language Pathologists & Audiologists Saskatchewan (CSASK) and a working group composed of S-LPs and audiologists. Together, we’re advocating for a more efficient system that recognizes the expertise of regulated professionals to initiate referrals when appropriate.

As part of this imitative, we met with the University of Saskatchewan Division Lead in Otolaryngology, Dr. Russ Murphy, and gained some excellent feedback regarding referral criteria. We have also met with a representative from another association who has been successful in going through the direct referral process.

Next, SAC-SK will continue working with partners to refine referral criteria and explore the steps required to implement this model in Saskatchewan. This work is an important part of our broader efforts to improve access to timely, patient-centered care in the province.

SAC-SK is working with CSASK, CAA, and a provincial working group to improve access to ENT specialists in Saskatchewan through direct referrals from S-LPs and audiologists.

We’ve submitted a joint letter with CSASK to the Saskatchewan Medical Association and continue to consult with groups who’ve implemented similar pathways.

On May 16^th, 2025, Alberta’s Premier, Danielle Smith, announced the decentralization of the Ministry of Health. In line with the broader decision to split Alberta Health Services into several smaller agencies, each new healthcare body is now overseen by its own Minister.

This decision is largely congruent with the Government of Alberta’s plans to have more specialized agencies oversee the various pillars of healthcare.

As of May 16^th, 2025, the new portfolios and their related ministers are as follows:

• Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services
• Matt Jones, Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services
• Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction
• Jason Nixon, Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services.

Many questions remain about how these changes will affect healthcare professionals, S-LPs, audiologists, and other rehabilitative medicine specialists. It is not yet clear which agency will oversee these roles or how services will be coordinated under the new structure.

SAC is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to keep members informed as more details become available.

For more background, see this article.

SAC has recently received a growing number of inquiries about the Assistive Devices Program (ADP). We are pleased to share that we will be meeting with ADP to discuss long-term solutions, including the formal recognition of audiologists as the front-line professionals responsible for prescribing hearing aids.

SAC strongly supports streamlining the patient journey in hearing healthcare. Updates to current guidelines are necessary to protect the public, uphold standards of care, and ensure equitable access to safe, high-quality hearing services for all Ontarians.

We will continue to engage with members, stakeholders, and ADP, and we look forward to sharing future developments.

Read the official news release here.

On May 15, 2025, Ontario’s Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy, released the 2025 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario. The budget details measures to protect the province’s economy amidst U.S. tariffs and highlights plans to build infrastructure, enhance healthcare access, expand public services, and support workers and businesses.  

Notable Highlights for SAC Members

The 2025 Ontario Budget presents opportunities for the communication health sector with targeted investments that align with SAC’s priorities and advocacy efforts. From reducing wait times through improved diagnostic and primary care access to expanding interprofessional teams, these developments position S-LPs and audiologists to play a greater role in the future of Ontario’s healthcare system. 

Labour Mobility

The budget reiterated the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act (first announced in April 2025), which aims to enhance interprovincial trade and labour mobility by expanding “As of Right” rules. This will remove barriers, cut red tape, and allow more certified and regulated professionals, including health care workers, to practice in Ontario with limited restrictions.

Primary Care Investment

The province is investing $1.8B in Ontario’s Primary Care Action Plan to connect every Ontarian with a family doctor or care team by 2029. This includes $235M in 2025–2026 for up to 80 new or expanded care teams, and $300M for new teaching clinics to train future providers. 

Surgical and Diagnostic Expansion

Up to $280 million will be invested over two years to expand Integrated Community Health Service Centres. These centres will provide MRI, CT scans, endoscopy, and orthopedic surgeries, aiming to reduce backlogs and improve access to diagnostics and procedures in community settings. 

Ontario Autism Program (OAP)

The government is increasing funding by $175 million in 2025–2026, bringing the program’s total investment to $779 million. The OAP supports services including applied behaviour analysis, mental health, speech-language pathology, and occupational therapy. 

SAC will continue to monitor developments related to Ontario’s 2025 budget and actively engage with government stakeholders to ensure the voices of speech-language pathologists and audiologists help shape the outcomes of these investments.

On June 10-11, 2025, SAC’s provincial advocacy teams in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta will each host a regionally focused workshop to help empower SAC members to initiate and lead advocacy efforts in their respective communities. These regionally focused and interactive workshops will emphasize how the collective voices of passionate and driven SAC members can create meaningful change. 

Each presentation will provide an introductory analysis of the respective province’s political landscape, the various government and non-government institutions that affect the professions of speech-language pathology, audiology and communication health assistants, and how to get involved in advocacy efforts to create change. 

By the end of the workshops, participants will gain an understanding of best practices for grassroots advocacy with a focus on ensuring members have the knowledge, tools, and confidence to navigate the political landscape in their local community, workplace and government. To join one of the provincial advocacy workshops, proceed below: 

• SAC-Ontario Advocacy Workshop
• SAC-Saskatchewan Advocacy Workshop
• SAC-Alberta Advocacy Workshop

Alberta’s evolving approach to healthcare funding, including increased emphasis on private delivery models, raises important questions about how best to ensure equitable, accessible care for all residents.

As overall healthcare budgets stabilize, expanded investment in private facilities could unintentionally limit support for other essential services, including those delivered by SAC members. For speech-language pathologists and audiologists working in public hospitals, this change in funding allocation may result in growing challenges in meeting patient needs if funding for public systems remains stagnant while demand increases.

SAC continues to advocate for strong, sustainable public healthcare systems and equitable access to speech-language pathology and audiology services across all communities in Alberta and Canada.