Pilot program offers free taxi service for non-urgent patients in Calgary, Edmonton
Posted Oct 3, 2025 10:30 am.
Last Updated Oct 3, 2025 10:34 am.
Patients in Calgary and Edmonton who call 811 and are told to see a doctor within 24 hours now have a way to get there.
Acute Care Alberta says a six-month pilot program under the EHS-Alberta/Health Link 811 Shared Response program will include alternative transportation for patients who need in-person medical assessment but don’t need an ambulance.
The program begins Friday.
Callers will be offered a taxi service to the nearest hospital emergency department or urgent care centre by the 811 nurse if they don’t have another way to get there.
Patients also have to be able to safely walk on their own, be over the age of 18, and not require an assessment by paramedics.
There will be no cost for the patient.
Return transportation will be the patient’s responsibility.
“By working together with our partners at Health Link 811, we are improving patient care while protecting ambulance availability for the patients who need us most,” said Trevor Maslyk, Interim Managing Director, EHS-Alberta. “Patients will have timely access to the appropriate level of care. Ambulances will remain available for critical, life-threatening emergencies. This will reduce system strain, improve efficiency, and strengthen our ability to meet performance targets.”
This builds on the Shared Response Program, launched in 2023, which transfers non-life threatening 911 calls to Health Link nurses.
Acute Care Alberta says since the program was launched two years ago, data has show that transportation is a barrier to care.
Slightly more than one-third of the 50,000 911 calls that were redirected to Health Link 811 registered nurses as part of program were sent back to 911 for non-emergency ambulance transport, it adds.
While these patients didn’t need emergency care or transport, they didn’t have other transportation to get to the recommended in-person assessment.
