Dennis Fundytus, vice-chair of Cochrane & Area Health Foundation, says a recent visit by Alberta Health minister Adriana LaGrange was a positive and upbeat discussion on challenges being faced by Cochrane's growing population.
He says a major win was opening up direct communications to her office through the deputy minister.
"Contacts come in really handy, and so from a practical point of view AHS isn't asking us to write a story; we can go directly to the deputy minister."
The minister was provided a tour of the Urgent Care Centre to get a better understanding of the pressures being faced.
"Recognizing that the community is exploding population-wise and where do we go in the future, we had those kinds of discussions," said Fundytus. "The reality is that the facility as it's run now is meeting some of the need, but as we expand the population and put pressure of the resources, you better have a vision for down the road."
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Fundytus says they also discussed the evolving role of health foundations in the reorganizing of Alberta Health Services. He says discussions are currently underway and workshops are being held across the province with foundations, including one he attended on Nov. 15.
He called it a good team builder.
"You get to meet all the chairs or vice-chairs of the health foundations in the area and how they're raising funds, what's allowed and what isn't allowed... those kinds of things. That's one of the things happening in the reorg with health foundations, which is a positive thing in my opinion."
The Cochrane area foundation is the new kid on the block. It received ministerial approval in April 2023 and charitable status this May.
"Forming the foundation was definitely a right move in the right direction," he says. "We've had support from the town administration and from Peter Guthrie in his role as our MLA."
Health minister Adriana LaGrange is scheduled to give an update on changes within AHS this morning.