A major step toward more inclusive and connected healthcare in Northern Alberta is underway.  The Maskwa Medical Center is proud to announce a $400,000 donation from RBC Foundation to support the construction of its new, fully accessible healthcare facility, helping ensure that everyone in the community can access the care they need without barriers, while also expanding access to specialist services and medical training opportunities for communities across Northern Alberta.

This transformative funding is provided through the RBC Foundation Community Spaces Grant (CSG), launched in April 2024 as part of RBC Foundation’s ongoing commitment to creating more accessible and environmentally sustainable community spaces across Canada.

At the heart of the new Maskwa Medical Center is a commitment to accessibility-first design.  RBC Foundation’s funding will directly support key features including automatic door openers, elevators and ramps, widened doorways and hallways, grab bars, and barrier-free spaces and washrooms creating a welcoming, inclusive environment for patients, families, and healthcare providers alike.

CSG provides support for retrofits, repairs, or upgrades to existing public community buildings, as well as construction of new public spaces, focusing on two key objectives:

• Helping improve environmental sustainability: Funding high-impact capital projects and improvements to community buildings that use engineered and nature-based solutions to help improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and build climate-resilience.
• Helping improve accessibility: Funding high-impact capital projects and improvements to community buildings that help enhance accessibility.

“Over half of buildings in Canada are either not accessible or only partially accessible,” says Nibal Yamout, Regional Vice President, RBC, Alberta North. “That’s why, through the RBC Foundation Community Spaces Grant, we aim to help bridge the accessibility gap.  We’re pleased to fund the Center’s important work to minimize physical barriers by implementing these critical accessibility features and helping to foster greater inclusivity in our communities.”

Ken Drysdale, Chairman of the Maskwa Medical Center says “RBC Foundation’s Community Spaces Grant and its commitment to improving accessibility closely align with our mission at Maskwa Medical Center—to help ensure that everyone can access the care they need without barriers.  This contribution is helping us build a fully accessible facility that will bring specialist care closer to home for residents across Northern Alberta.  From expanding access to specialist services through the Maskwa Medical Specialist Clinic to supporting the training of future physicians, this facility will have a lasting and meaningful impact on the health of our communities.”

More than just a building, the Maskwa Medical Center represents a vision for equitable healthcare, one where thoughtful design removes obstacles, strengthens local capacity and brings high-quality care closer to home. RBC Foundation’s support is helping turn that vision into reality.

About Maskwa Medical Center
Maskwa Medical Center is an innovative, Alberta-based, not-for-profit registered charity committed to improving access to specialist healthcare services for residents of the Peace Region and Northern Alberta. Guided by a collaborative, patient-centred approach, the Center focuses on reducing barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment while supporting better health outcomes for individuals and families across the region.

Through its integrated care model, Maskwa Medical Center brings together specialist services and diagnostic care within a coordinated setting designed to improve efficiency, continuity, and access. The Center also includes the University of Alberta resident teaching clinic, providing a dedicated site where future physicians are trained and new doctors graduate each year, helping to strengthen the healthcare workforce serving rural and northern communities.

The facility is designed as a regional health hub, improving access to specialist consultations and coordinated care close to home for Northern Alberta residents.