Alberta government seeks to regulate health care aides with professional college

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on July 17, 2025.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

Alberta’s government is seeking to regulate health care aides under a professional college, bringing them to the same standards as many other front-line health professionals.

The province has roughly 40,000 health care aides, who play a vital role in the health system. These aides provide hands-on support to Albertans who need a high level of care, including seniors and those with chronic or acute illnesses.

Beginning Feb. 2, 2026, they will be regulated, requiring approved education requirements, follow standards of practice, commit to ongoing learning and abide by a professional code of ethics to practise and use the health care aide title.

“This is a major step forward in strengthening Alberta’s health care system,” said Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services. “It gives Albertans confidence that the care they receive is safe and that health care aides have the proper training and oversight.”

To this end, the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta will become the College of Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides of Alberta, building on the college’s experience regulating licensed practical nurses in Alberta.

It will be responsible for registering health care aides, setting practice and conduct standards, ensuring continued professional development and responding to complaints.

“The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta is ready to take on the work of regulating health care aides in a manner that protects the public,” said Kurtis Kooiker, president the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta. “We are leveraging our experience as a trusted regulator of licensed practical nurses to prepare health care aides and our partners for this transition. The CLPNA is confident that the interests of Albertans will be served through our oversight of registration, practice, conduct and continuing competence.”

Those who meet the requirements will be eligible for enrollment in the Alberta Health Care Aide Directory, and those enrolled in the directory immediately before regulation comes into force will be transferred to a health care aide register with the college and issued a practice permit.

Once the regulation is in force, any seeking to use the health care aide title and provide associated services to the public will be required to meet requirements and apply for registration.

Going forward, only registered health care aides will be allowed to use the health care aide title, and all registered health care aides will be required to renew their practice permits annually.

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