This release was issued under a previous government.

The new facility ensures fewer people will need to travel to Edmonton or Calgary to access cancer services and treatment. It will also help ease pressure on cancer facilities in Edmonton and Calgary, allowing more patients to get the care they need more quickly.

“We want to make sure that anyone who is diagnosed with cancer gets the supports and treatment they need to heal. This centre will house cutting-edge technology and give patients earlier diagnosis and treatment closer to home. We’re going to keep fighting cancer, together.”

Alison Redford, Premier

“Every day, 42 Albertans learn they have cancer. By 2030, we expect that to grow to 73 new cancer cases a day. This new centre is about more than bricks and mortar, it’s about ensuring these people, and their families, who are going through what might be the most stressful time of their lives are supported.”

- Fred Horne, Minister of Health

“I am proud of the innovative construction solutions that resulted in providing Albertans with access to key radiation vault services, earlier than expected. This is an example of the projects that we are undertaking through the Building Albertan Plan to meet the current and future needs of Albertans.”

- Wayne Drysdale, Minister of Infrastructure 

“This important project brings radiation therapy to central Alberta for the first time. The centre will serve the needs of local residents now and into the future and also reduce pressures at other Alberta cancer facilities, improving access for all Albertans.”

- Dr. Paul Grundy, CancerControl Alberta, AHS

“I had to travel from my home in Red Deer to Calgary to receive radiation treatments. I wasn’t used to the traffic of the big city, and had to drive on snowy highways. The commute placed additional stress on an already stressful situation for both me and my family. This new centre in Red Deer will mean more people can be treated closer to home rather than having to travel long distances when they’re feeling unwell from treatments.”

- Kim Rideout, cancer survivor from Red Deer

The centre is expected to see more than 15,000 patient visits in its first year and the new radiation therapy facilities will treat more than 600 cases annually. The Central Alberta Cancer Centre is part of Alberta’s north-south “radiation corridor.” Once completed, the corridor will mean 92 per cent of patients will be able to access radiation treatment within 100 kilometres of their homes.

The facility replaces the existing centre in Red Deer and is adjoined to the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre. The centre will offer four times the clinical space and will include:

  • All cancer services moved from the existing facility.
  • Two linear accelerators that will provide external-beam radiation to about 600 patients a year. This therapy may be used before surgery to shrink the tumor or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells;
  • A third radiation vault built to allow for future expansion of services;
  • Additional treatment and examination rooms;
  • Outpatient clinics;
  • A medical day unit with treatment areas (beds and chairs) for chemotherapy or other treatments and procedures;
  • In-house pharmacy services, including a satellite pharmacy for the storage, preparation and dispensing of cancer medication; and,
  • Education, counselling and other social support  services for cancer patients and families.

Cancer is the leading cause of premature death in Alberta. Every year, nearly 16,400 Albertans are diagnosed with cancer and more than 5,500 people die. Ensuring Albertans have convienent access to cancer care is part of Changing Our Future: Alberta’s Cancer Plan to 2030.

Under the Building Alberta Plan, our government is investing in families and communities, living within our means, and opening new markets for Alberta's resources to ensure we're able to fund the services Albertans told us matter most to them. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for.

Related information

Changing our Future: Alberta’s Cancer Plan to 2030

More information on Cancer Centre

Multimedia

Video: Changing our Future: Alberta Cancer Plan