Alberta NICUs remain under strain as doctors warn of high occupancy

September 18, 2025

RED FM News Desk

Alberta physicians say the province’s neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are still stretched beyond safe levels, despite new government funding aimed at easing pressure.

Doctors raised alarms last year, calling the situation a “crisis” and urging swift action. While Alberta Health and the province insist progress is being made, frontline staff argue more support is needed as demand continues to grow.

“It’s a very stressful place to work these days,” said Dr. Amber Reichert, a neonatologist in Edmonton. “I am worried about how we’re going to approach the coming winter months, recognizing people get sick in the winter.”

Reichert said she hoped increased funding for NICU beds would help, but occupancy has remained persistently high. “Our occupancy continues to be extremely high. And we just don’t have a lot of capacity to expand if the need increases.”

In Edmonton, NICU occupancy hovered around 90 per cent for much of the first half of this year, Reichert noted.

“It’s concerning,” added Dr. Alixe Howlett, a neonatologist in Calgary, who said more concrete measures are required to keep the system from buckling under pressure.