The Cochrane-Springbank area is among areas of the province targeted by the province for more continuing care centres.

Yesterday, Premier Jason Kenney and Health minister Tyler Shandro announced that Alberta Health Services (AHS) is seeking proposals from new and existing continuing care operators to add publicly funded spaces without additional capital funding.

AHS has identified 31 Alberta communities most in need of new continuing care spaces based on current and projected demand and supply, age of the population, and health-care utilization. Nearby Airdrie is also on the list.

Interested operators in priority communities have been invited to submit proposals through an expression of interest (EOI) process if they have capacity to operate new continuing care spaces, under contract with AHS.

The government says this is the first step in a larger plan and will be announcing the development of further continuing care centres in the near future.

The province's 2020 budget includes $164 million over three years to increase the number of continuing care spaces available.