CALGARY, AB: The NDP announcement on a Calgary Cancer Centre was packaged with few details on the timing and cost of building the facility at the Foothills Medical Centre site, the Wildrose Official Opposition said today.
A timeline and budget will not be released until the fall, with the government still to determine a site at the Foothills campus.
“The Health Minister called today’s announcement a concrete step, when really it lacked crucial details on a timeline, budget or firm location,” Wildrose Shadow Health Minister Drew Barnes said. “It’s time we got moving on this facility. Patient-centered delivery must be a key tenet of our health care system, and Albertans deserve full transparency and a comprehensive Calgary Cancer Centre.”
Wildrose called on the government to provide key details after months of the former government telling Albertans the project at the Foothills site could cost near $2 billion.
Barnes said it is crucial for the government to be open and transparent with this project now, instead of stacking a series of announcements during or on the eve of a by-election.
“This project has been announced and re-announced since 2005. The Foothills site has been fully studied and planned for over two years, there’s no reason for more delays,” Barnes said. “It is time to move ahead with this project, give Calgarians the full picture and finally deliver the cancer clinic southern Alberta deserves.”