Skip to Main content

7.86°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

Jun 26, 2024 4:36 PM - The Canadian Press

Premier Smith says Alberta plans to opt out of federal dental care plan by 2026

Share On

premier-smith-says-alberta-plans-to-opt-out-of-federal-dental-care-plan-by-2026

The $13-billion program began covering younger children and seniors in May and is being expanded to all those under 18 and people with disabilities.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province plans to opt out of the federal government's dental care plan by 2026.

In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Smith says the program infringes on provincial jurisdiction.

She says in the meantime she wants to negotiate getting Alberta's share of the federal funding in order for the province to support dental care as it sees fit.

The $13-billion program began covering younger children and seniors in May and is being expanded to all those under 18 and people with disabilities.

Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange's office says the Canadian Dental Care Plan duplicates coverage provided by Alberta’s low-income dental programs.

The Canadian Dental Association has raised concerns about the voluntary federal program, saying confusion over what is covered and who qualifies has added extra pressure at dental offices and undermines patient care.

Latest news

CanadaNov 20, 2025

Indian national wanted in murder case arrested after being refused entry at Canada–U.S. border

U.S. border officials say a 22-year-old Indian national was taken into custody at the Peace Bridge crossing at Fort Erie after Canadian officers refused him entry over the weekend. The case is drawing renewed attention to cross-border screening practices that affect travel between Ontario and Western New York, a corridor frequently used by travellers from Ontario’s South Asian communities. According to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the man – identified as Vishat Kumar – had previously entered the United States without authorization in 2024 and did not appear for a

chrystia-freeland-to-leave-parliament-for-senior-leadership-role-with-rhodes-trust-in-u-k

CanadaNov 20, 2025

Chrystia Freeland to leave Parliament for senior leadership role with Rhodes Trust in U.K.

Chrystia Freeland is preparing to leave federal politics next year as she moves to Oxford, England, to take up a senior leadership role with the Rhodes Trust. The educational charity confirmed that Freeland will become its next chief executive officer on July 1, overseeing one of the world’s most influential international scholarship programs. The organization administers the Rhodes Scholarship, which brings students from around the globe to study at the University of Oxford. Freeland’s appointment places her at the centre of an institution that has produced generations of leaders in publi

rain-and-snow-alerts-in-effect-as-coastal-and-northern-b-c-brace-for-strong-weather-system

Rain and Snow Alerts in Effect as Coastal and Northern B.C. Brace for Strong Weather System

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a pair of weather alerts for communities along British Columbia’s north and central coast, warning that a strong frontal system could bring significant rain and heavy mountain snow through the end of the week. The agency says areas from Bella Coola through Kitimat may receive as much as 70 millimetres of rain, raising the risk of water pooling on roads and possible washouts near rivers and creeks. The system is expected to weaken by Friday, but officials caution that changing conditions may still affect travel across coastal corridors. While t

senate-approves-citizenship-reform-for-lost-canadians-as-advocates-raise-adoption-concerns

CanadaNov 20, 2025

Senate approves citizenship reform for ‘Lost Canadians’ as advocates raise adoption concerns

Federal legislation designed to address long-standing gaps in Canada’s citizenship rules has cleared the Senate and is expected to become law before a court-imposed deadline early next year. The bill aims to resolve cases involving so-called Lost Canadians – individuals born abroad to Canadian parents who were themselves born outside the country and who lost access to citizenship because of restrictive rules adopted in 2009. The changes come after the Ontario Superior Court ruled last year that the previous one-generation limit on citizenship by descent was unconstitutional. Under the upda

AlbertaNov 20, 2025

Alberta auditor says failed lab privatization left public with $109 million bill

Alberta’s auditor general says the province’s attempt to shift community lab testing to a private operator resulted in significant financial losses and gaps in government oversight. A new report from Auditor General Doug Wylie estimates taxpayers absorbed roughly $109 million after the privatization effort collapsed. Wylie’s review found that senior officials in government advanced the plan despite internal warnings that the projected savings were unlikely. He says weaknesses in record keeping, financial analysis and contract oversight contributed to the breakdown of the agreement with D

Related News

Alberta auditor says failed lab privatization left public with $109 million bill

Alberta auditor says failed lab privatization left public with $109 million bill

Alberta’s auditor general says the province’s attempt to shift community lab testing to a private operator resulted in significant financial losses and gaps in government oversight. A new report from Auditor General Doug Wylie estimates taxpayers absorbed roughly $109 million after the privatization effort collapsed. Wylie’s review found that senior officials in government advanced the plan despite internal warnings that the projected savings were unlikely. He says weaknesses in record keeping, financial analysis and contract oversight contributed to the breakdown of the agreement with D

Albertans choose Banff’s Moraine Lake for upcoming Strong and Free licence plate

Albertans choose Banff’s Moraine Lake for upcoming Strong and Free licence plate

Alberta’s next generation of licence plates will feature one of the province’s most recognizable mountain landscapes after residents selected Moraine Lake as the new image. The provincial government said more than 240,000 people participated in an online vote, making this the first major redesign of the plate in more than four decades. The change follows the government’s earlier decision to retire the long standing Wild Rose Country slogan and replace it with Strong and Free, a phrase drawn from Alberta’s official motto and referenced in Canada’s national anthem. Officials say the up

Alberta proposes law to add citizenship status and health numbers to driver’s licences

Alberta proposes law to add citizenship status and health numbers to driver’s licences

Alberta has introduced legislation that would require citizenship status and provincial health numbers to be displayed on all driver’s licences and government ID cards. The proposal formalizes a plan the province first signalled earlier this year, prompting debate about how much personal information should appear on identification used for everyday transactions. Privacy advocates previously warned that the change could expose a person’s citizenship status in routine situations such as age verification at stores or restaurants. Government officials argue the measure will make it easier for

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital