Dear Members,
Earlier this week, the Government of Alberta passed the Regulated Professions Neutrality Act (Bill 13). This legislation, along with the recent passage of Bills 9 and 11, have been of great concern for the Alberta College of Family Physicians (ACFP), particularly as it relates to the delivery of continuing professional development (CPD) and related patient safety implications in Alberta. We have heard from many of our members asking for better understanding of what impact Bill 13 will have.
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
As written, Bill 13 may have significant unintended consequences for clinical care and for physicians’ ability to meet the needs of Alberta’s diverse communities.
BILL 13 IMPACT ON FAMILY MEDICINE
The ACFP believes in the Four Principles of Family Medicine articulated by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) to guide the practice of family medicine, residency programs, and ongoing learning opportunities for family physicians. Bill 13 directly affects each of these principles:
Skilled Clinical Practice
Clinical competence includes understanding how demographic and cultural factors affect diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Evidence consistently shows that gaps in cultural safety, bias awareness, and system-level understanding can lead to measurable harm:
- 50% higher postoperative mortality for Black men after elective surgery (The BMJ, 2023)1.
- 30% higher mortality for Indigenous patients after surgery (CMAJ, 2021)2.
These are clinical realities, not ideological positions. Training that helps clinicians recognize and mitigate these risks is essential to safe practice.
Community-Based Care and Being a Resource to a Defined Population
Family physicians care for a broad spectrum of Albertans, including rural communities, newcomers, Indigenous peoples, and racial, cultural, gender, and linguistic minorities.
Understanding community context and systemic barriers is central to effective, community-responsive medicine. Limiting the ability of regulators or professional bodies to require such training undermines this core principle.
The Patient–Physician Relationship
Trust is built when patients feel seen, safe, and respected. Evidence-based education in cultural safety and bias awareness strengthens therapeutic relationships and improves outcomes. Restrictions on these tools risk eroding public trust in a time when confidence in the health system is already under strain.
WHAT THE ACFP IS DOING
The ACFP remains committed to supporting family physicians in delivering safe, equitable, and patient-centred care. At this time, the ACFP is requesting:
- Clarification on how the Ministries intend to ensure that Alberta’s physicians can continue to meet evolving national competency frameworks, such as the 2026 CanMEDS revision.
- Future amendments or regulatory guidance that would preserve the ability of health-profession regulators and professional organizations to require evidence-based training linked to high-quality, safe care.
- Assurance that Alberta’s regulatory and professional environments will continue to support the foundational principles of family medicine and uphold evidence-based approaches to reducing harm.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
We will:
- Stay informed. You may view the December 9, 2025 – Evening Session of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta’s discussion of Bill 13 (using the time stamp of: 4:58:41–5:36:48) introduced by the Honourable Minister of Justice, Amery or read the transcript (the debate of the third reading starts on page 887 of the Alberta Hansard; page 888 refers to concerns from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians of Canada).
As always, we invite you to share your concerns and/or feedback with us as well as your MLA. In the spirit of “nothing about us without us”, your experiences and concerns help inform our actions. Please do not hesitate to contact us at: acfppres@acfp.ca.
We appreciate your engagement, and we will continue to share the latest updates with you all.
Sincerely,
Melanie Hnatiuk, MD, CCFP, FCFP
President
Alberta College of Family Physicians
REFERENCES
- BMJ 2023; 380: e073290. Accessed on December 9, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-073290
- CMAJ 2021 May 17; 193: E713-22. Accessed on December 9, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.191682
