The Alberta government has quietly extended the deadline for a high-profile judicial investigation into the province’s health procurement practices, pushing the completion date to November 29 from its original September 30 target.
Justice John Henderson, the retired Court of King’s Bench judge leading the probe, requested additional time to complete his work examining procurement decisions made by Alberta Health Services (AHS) and the Ministry of Health. The investigation spans transactions dating back to 2019, with particular focus on contracts signed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The extension allows Justice Henderson to conduct a thorough examination of complex procurement processes that impact millions of Albertans,” Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said in a statement Tuesday. “We remain committed to transparency in how healthcare dollars are spent.”
The investigation, launched in April, came after mounting questions about how the province awarded contracts for personal protective equipment, testing supplies, and consulting services during a period when normal procurement processes were often bypassed due to emergency conditions.
For Edmonton nurse Melissa Sanderson, who worked through the pandemic’s darkest days, the investigation’s extension raises concerns about accountability in the healthcare system.
“We were desperate for supplies at one point,” Sanderson told me during a community healthcare forum in Edmonton last week. “But Albertans deserve to know if corners were cut or if anyone benefited inappropriately from those emergency purchases.”
The procurement review spans multiple government administrations and has taken on increased significance as the Smith government pursues its ambitious healthcare reform agenda, which includes increased privatization of certain medical services.
Public Interest Alberta, a non-partisan advocacy group, has expressed concern about the investigation’s widening timeline. “Every month of delay is another month where Albertans are left wondering about potential improprieties in how their healthcare dollars were spent,” said executive director Bradley Lafortune in a telephone interview.
The investigation’s scope includes examining whether proper protocols were followed during the pandemic and whether contracts delivered value for taxpayers. According to provincial records, Alberta spent more than $925 million on emergency health procurements between March 2020 and December 2021.
University of Alberta health policy expert Dr. Lorian Hardcastle suggests the extended timeline reflects the investigation’s complexity. “Procurement rules exist for good reason – to ensure fair competition and value for money. But during a crisis like COVID-19, governments worldwide made rapid purchases under emergency provisions,” Hardcastle explained. “The question becomes whether those exceptions were appropriately applied.”
Documents obtained through freedom of information requests by opposition parties show that at least 43% of pandemic-related health contracts over $10 million were awarded without competitive bidding, though such practices were permitted under emergency protocols activated in March 2020.
The province’s Auditor General highlighted procurement concerns in a 2022 report, noting “inconsistent documentation” and “inadequate post-purchase evaluation” of several major health contracts. The report stopped short of alleging impropriety but recommended significant improvements to emergency procurement processes.
In Calgary’s Beltline neighborhood, pharmacist Rajiv Sharma sees the investigation as necessary but worries about its political implications. “Healthcare shouldn’t be partisan, but everything seems to become political these days,” Sharma said while organizing a community health fair. “My customers just want a system they can trust.”
The investigation’s findings could have lasting implications for AHS, which underwent significant leadership changes after Premier Smith’s government dismissed its board in 2022. The organization manages approximately $15.1 billion in annual expenditures, including roughly $3 billion in procurement contracts for everything from medical supplies to facility services.
Ministry spokesperson Steve Buick confirmed Justice Henderson has been granted additional resources to complete his work, including specialized forensic accounting support and access to procurement experts.
Opposition health critic David Shepherd questioned the delay, suggesting it might be politically motivated. “Albertans have waited long enough for answers,” Shepherd said during a press conference at the legislature. “The government promised transparency, and extending this timeline raises questions about what they might be trying to manage.”
According to government officials, Henderson has already conducted over 75 interviews and reviewed thousands of pages of procurement documents. His final report will include recommendations for improving health procurement processes and potential reforms to emergency purchasing protocols.
For Red Deer small business owner James Thornton, who supplies medical equipment to clinics throughout central Alberta, the investigation represents an important check on government spending. “Competition matters in healthcare just like any other sector,” Thornton said. “If some companies got special treatment during COVID, that affects all of us who play by the rules.”
The province has committed to making Henderson’s final report public, though certain portions may be redacted for privacy or legal reasons. Premier Smith has previously stated that any evidence of wrongdoing uncovered during the investigation would be referred to appropriate authorities.
As Albertans await the investigation’s findings, the province continues to implement its healthcare transformation plan, which aims to reduce surgical wait times and emergency room overcrowding—issues that many healthcare professionals say should take priority over procurement reviews.
“At the end of the day, patients just want a system that works,” said Dr. Amrita Singh, a family physician in Lethbridge. “Whether contracts were properly awarded matters, but so does having enough nurses, doctors and hospital beds to meet growing demand.”
