Alberta government scraps superlab plan
Posted Jun 20, 2019 3:23 pm.
Last Updated Jun 20, 2019 3:35 pm.
EDMONTON — Alberta is cancelling construction of a medical superlab in Edmonton and scrapping a plan to put all laboratory services under government control.
Premier Jason Kenney promised to do so before his United Conservative government was elected in April.
The former NDP government had announced the project in 2016 to bring existing labs and staff under one roof and put all its services under the control of one agency.
Kenney argued the changes would do nothing to improve patient services.
Construction of the $595 million superlab near the University of Alberta south campus was halted shortly after the election while the UCP conducted a review.
Health Minister Tyler Shandro says the province will save all but $23 million in construction costs and another $50 million will be saved by cancelling the planned buyout of private lab testing provider DynaLife.
