In July, the Government of Alberta announced that healthcare aides will now be a regulated profession, being governed and regulated by the College of Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides of Alberta, previously  the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta. 

This change will officially take effect on February 2, 2026, at which point the newly reorganized college will oversee the professional standards, training, and accountability of health care aides, particularly those working in rural and underserved communities.  

The announcement has sparked discussion about the broader implications for other support roles in health care, including communication health assistants. 

This decision sets a precedent for formal regulation of support roles in health care.  

For SAC members, it signals a potential pathway toward the regulation of communication health assistants, especially those who work under the supervision of speech-language pathologists, supporting individuals with communication and swallowing needs. Regulation could enhance the quality of care, ensure consistent training standards, and improve public trust in these roles, but could also introduce barriers to practice that could interfere with our members’ employment. 

SAC encourages members in Alberta to stay informed and engaged. We urge you to share your perspective on the regulation of communication health assistants by emailing us at: advocacy@sac-oac.ca 

This development aligns with SAC’s ongoing efforts to ensure our members are informed about any potential developments that could lead to a change in their profession or practice. It reinforces our commitment to ensuring safe, effective, and equitable communication health services across Canada. 

Latest Update

As a result of the meeting on August 12, SAC-Saskatchewan was able to clarify directly with UBC that the WBC issue preventing UBC students from taking placements in Saskatchewan has been resolved. This resolution is especially important for Saskatchewan audiologists, given the limited number of training programs available in Canada.

To address the insurance requirement, UBC has partnered with Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Through this agreement, UBC students can enroll in a micro-credential course aligned with their clinical externship in Saskatchewan, which provides them with the necessary WCB insurance.

If you are an audiologist and would like to host a UBC student for a clinical placement, please email UBC Audiology Clinical Coordinator Sasha Brown at sasha.brown@audiospeech.ubc.ca.

If you are an S-LP and would like to take a UBC student on a clinical placement, please reach out to Marcia Choi at marciac@audiospeech.ubc.ca. Many thanks to SAC member and audiologist Charlotte Douglas for working with UBC and Saskatchewan Polytechnic to resolve this issue.

Previous Update

According to recent Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) data, Saskatchewan has the lowest number of audiologists per capita among all Canadian provinces at 3.7 per 100,000. Many public health audiology positions are vacant, with some having gone unfilled for several years. Additionally, there are many audiologists at or near retirement age, indicating that the time to address this issue is now. The shortage of audiology positions not only affects patient care but also acts as a bottleneck, preventing the advancement of public health programs, such as the creation and administration of a comprehensive Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program and the expansion of hearing aid coverage for children and adults over the age of 65.  

On August 12, Jennifer Cameron-Turley, Provincial Advocacy Manager for Saskatchewan, Bonnie Cooke, Director of Audiology at SAC, and Halen Panchyk, audiologist at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre in Regina, virtually met with Deborah Moynes-Keshen, Executive Director of the Healthcare Human Resources Branch at the Ministry of Health and Shelley Lofstrom, Executive Director Workforce Planning and Employment Strategies at the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Together, they strategized on how to boost engagement with audiology graduate programs across provinces, with a focus on supporting students completing placements in Saskatchewan. Recruitment and retention strategies that would benefit audiologists across the province were also discussed. This meeting furthers two of SAC-Saskatchewan’s provincial advocacy goals: recruitment and retention, and enhanced access and funding.  

Do you have lived experience of how the lack of audiologists directly affects the hearing health of Saskatchewan residents? Email SAC Advocacy at advocacy@sac-oac.ca. 

The Government of Alberta has established Regional Advisory Councils, a significant step in refocusing the province’s health care systems. These 150-member councils, representing 71 communities, will directly advise Alberta’s four health ministries and the newly separated health agencies: Primary Care Alberta, Acute Care Alberta, Assisted Living Alberta, and Recovery Alberta. This initiative aims to strengthen community input and ensure that health care decisions are more responsive, inclusive, and effective across the province.  

Members of these councils are diverse, including Albertans from all walks of life, health care workers (including SAC members), community leaders, Indigenous representatives, and municipal officials. Their role will be to gather feedback, identify challenges, and bring forward ideas from residents, providers, and organizations that might not otherwise reach the government. Utilizing this opportunity for direct engagement is crucial for making the health system more accessible and better able to meet the unique needs of Albertans in every region.  

For members of Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC) in SAC-Alberta, the creation of these Regional Advisory Councils presents a valuable opportunity for input and consultation. With about one-third of council members working in health care roles and many chairs serving as health professionals, there is a clear avenue for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and communication health assistants to engage. SAC members are encouraged to identify their local council representatives, offering their expertise on the unique health needs within communities. By actively participating in consultations, sharing insights on service gaps, and advocating for the inclusion of speech-language pathology and audiology services in regional health planning, you can directly contribute to shaping a more comprehensive and responsive health care system for all Albertans.  

In addition to the regional councils, the government is establishing an Indigenous Advisory Council, with up to 22 members – including Indigenous health care workers and community leaders – that will specifically focus on strengthening health care services for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities. 

SAC has officially joined Research Canada, a national alliance dedicated to advancing health research and innovation in Canada.

Bonnie Cooke, Director of Audiology and Tiffany Fearon, Ontario Government & Community Relations Manager, met with Research Canada in April to discuss the prospect of a strategic partnership to strengthen the voice of the professions across the country’s broader health research community.

By joining forces with Research Canada, SAC will have the opportunity to advocate more effectively for increased investment in research that supports communication health across the lifespan. This membership will open doors for increased interdisciplinary collaboration, data collection, and the exploration of innovative approaches to early detection, assessment and treatment of communication health disorders.

Learn more about Research Canada.

Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC) recently met with Alberta’s Minister of Primary Preventative Health Services, the Honourable Adriana LaGrange, on July 10th. The SAC delegation, including members of SAC-Alberta’s Advisory Committee and SAC staff, appreciated the opportunity to discuss key issues impacting speech-language pathologists (S-LPs), audiologists, communication health assistants, and the Albertans they serve. This crucial engagement underscores SAC’s commitment to championing the concerns of its members at the highest levels of government.

During the meeting, SAC emphasized the professions’ vital role in primary care, ongoing human health resource (HHR) challenges, and ways to strengthen rural health services. Discussion topics included scope of practice awareness, continuity of care, and service gaps. SAC also commended the Minister’s role in including S-LPs in Alberta’s Rural Health Action Plan. The HHR crisis was a central topic, with data showing that population growth has outpaced the growth in S-LPs, leading to an increased ratio of Albertans to S-LPs and concerns about service quality. To address these challenges, SAC proposed policy recommendations such as funding preceptor incentives, expanding placement infrastructure in rural regions, implementing housing supports, and enhancing support for telehealth services.

The meeting was constructive, with Minister LaGrange acknowledging the importance of the professions and expressing a commitment to continued collaboration. SAC remains steadfast in its dedication to championing the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology, working tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcomes for both professionals and the public they serve. SAC-Alberta’s ability to advocate effectively stems directly from the collective strength, expertise, and commitment of its members.

The 2024 National Report Card from the Canadian Infant Hearing Task Force (CIHTF) revealed that little has changed since its 2019 Report Card. Despite some improvements, Saskatchewan once again received an overall grade of “Insufficient” when it comes to providing infant hearing health services through its Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program.

Following our meeting with the Saskatchewan Deputy Minister of Health, Chad Ryan, in September 2024, we continue to follow up regarding progress on this issue. A dearth of audiology positions in the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) continues to limit the ability to expand this and other provincial audiology programs. Unfortunately, recruitment and retention remain a significant issue with many current positions going unfilled, some for several years.

We will continue to advocate for our professions to be included in provincial recruitment and retention initiatives, and have asked for an additional meeting to discuss additional recruitment and retention ideas.

SAC met with the Ontario Ministry of Education at the end of May to discuss key priorities, including the enhanced support and integration of speech-language pathology and audiology services within the education system.

S-LPs and audiologists work with many students across a range of educational settings and play a vital role in the early identification and intervention of speech, language, and hearing disorders, all critical factors in a child’s academic and social development.

We were pleased to share important communication health updates with the Ministry and will continue to keep our members informed of the outcomes of this engagement.

On June 23, the Ontario government announced a major step to improve access to primary care, with a plan to connect 300,000 more people to a family doctor or primary care team.  

As part of its $2.1 billion Primary Care Action Plan, the province is investing $235 million to support over 130 new and expanded primary care teams, focused on underserved communities. These teams have been selected to help people without a family doctor, including those on the Health Care Connect waitlist. Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Dr. Jane Philpott, Chair of Ontario’s Primary Care Action Team, emphasized the province’s commitment to building a more accessible, team-based system led by family doctors and nurse practitioners. To support this, Ontario is also providing $142 million over three years to recruit and retain health professionals like nurse practitioners and pharmacists and investing $300 million to develop up to 17 new or expanded teaching clinics in underserved areas. 

SAC will continue to monitor developments and connect with decision makers to advocate for the integration of S-LPs and audiologists within Ontario’s evolving primary care landscape. 

Read the official news release here.