City of Lethbridge recruitment plan attracts physician interest
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on March 28, 2025.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
The final report of the City of Lethbridge’s physician recruitment plan was presented Thursday afternoon for information to the Governance Standing Policy Committee of city council.
The report, which was submitted by manager of Government Relations Gerald Gauthier, shows that seven inquiries were received from July through December of 2024: five from western Canada and two from Europe. Those inquiries were forwarded to the recruitment team for Alberta Health Services South Zone/Chinook Primary Care Network. Of those seven, two candidates were deemed to need more credentials before recruitment. Another has visited Lethbridge and is considering an offer from a city clinic.
City council approved a family physician recruitment plan in 2022, which included partnering with AHS – South Zone, Chinook Primary Care Network and Economic Development Lethbridge and other community stakeholders to market the city as a great place to live, and advocating to the provincial government.
On May 14 last year, council directed City Manager Lloyd Brierley to update the action plan to include initiatives that have been completed and adding new initiatives to the city’s present situation including advocating for physicians who work in specialty areas. Council also directed that $15,000 be allocated from council contingencies for a refreshed marketing and recruitment campaign in partnership with the Primary Care Network.
On July 25, the Governance committee, which consists of acting mayor Jeff Carlson and councillors Belinda Crowson, John Middleton-Hope and Jenn Schmidt-Rempel, received the plan as information and recommended that council direct City administration to report back in the first quarter of 2025.
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Seven inquiries! Wow. How many new doctors have actually started to work in Lethbridge. I’ve heard there are still about 35-40,000 in our area without a doctor. If that’s true we are no better off. I’m not sure if Lethbridge offers any perks to attract new doctors such as low cost or free housing but, if not, do it.
The UCP is systematically destroying our health care system so we must be proactive to attract doctors and not rely on Smith and her privateers.