Alberta Hospitals Minister Matt Jones says he doesn’t blame doctors for the delay in a core initiative to address extreme pressures in the province’s emergency departments.

Jones says he’s optimistic the government and doctors can find a way to hire the emergency department triage liaison physicians he previously promised for February.

It comes a day after Premier Danielle Smith suggested reporters ask the group representing Alberta doctors for details about the rollout of the jobs.

Jones made the pledge in January in an effort to expedite emergency room patients in the wake of stories of suffering and potentially preventable hospital deaths.

The Alberta Medical Association says doctors want to take on the jobs, but weeks of confusion among government ministries and agencies about who is responsible for contract conditions have left negotiations in limbo.

Jones says if they can’t come to terms with physicians soon, contingency plans include looking to bring in nurse practitioners, triage nurses, or boosting emergency room budgets.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2026.

The Canadian Press