New Cardston Hospital replacement on its way

Posted on April 16, 2026 by admin

By Heather Cameron
Southern Alberta Newspapers

The Cardston Health Centre will soon be reborn.

Alex Cattran, press secretary for the Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, said that the original Cardston Health Center was built in 1959 and is one of Alberta’s oldest hospitals, but is nearing the end of its life cycle, even after undergoing renovations in 1981.

“Further renovation/redevelopment was not feasible, and it was determined that to keep pace with the health service needs and growing community demands, a facility replacement was necessary,” said Cattran.

Cattran explains that the Cardston Health Centre currently offers 24-hour emergency care, minor day surgeries, inpatient and continuing care beds, and diagnostic services; and the new facility will consolidate acute care, inpatient services, emergency/ambulatory services, and community-based services. 

The project, Cattran stated, started with a needs assessment in 2021, and a business case was completed in the following years. Budget 2026, Cattran says, then approved funding of $74.07 million over the next three years to finish the planning design and start on construction.

Currently, Cattran explained, the site acquisition process is in the final stages.

“This is an integral part of the functional planning phase that will help flesh out in detail the rest of the planning,” said Cattran. “Once functional planning is done, the project will move to the design phase, then construction, and finally is outfitted with all the latest medical technology so the facility can care for patients for decades to come.”

Cattran emphasized that an important step in the planning phase of the project is engagement with community stakeholders to ensure their concerns are addressed and that a facility is built that meets their needs. 

“One important stakeholder that has been invited to collaborate in the functional planning phase is the Blood Tribe,” stated Cattran. “They, along with many other community stakeholders, will help inform the planning and ensure the facility meets the needs of the local communities, including the Blood Tribe and Cardston greater community. Initial engagement with the community has been very positive, and folks are very excited to have a new Cardston Health Centre.”