New framework for Alberta’s public health inspectors creates risk, opponents say

Health inspectors across Alberta are preparing for major change, with the province moving them out of Alberta Health Services into a new government department.

The union that represents Alberta’s public health inspectors says the province’s decision to move them out of Alberta Health Services (AHS) could put workers and the public at risk.

Public health inspectors enforce Alberta’s Public Health Act in places that serve food and offer personal services.

They also inspect child-care centres, continuing care facilities, pools, rental housing, drinking water systems and other public-facing facilities.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says the provincial government wants inspectors to become direct government employees instead of AHS employees, removing the arm’s-length oversight needed to properly do their jobs.

In an interview with CTV News, AUPE president Sandra Azocar said the transition is being mishandled.

“Our biggest concern about how these members are being treated is the disrespect and the mismanagement of this transition when it comes to ensuring that people are being protected,” she said.

According to the AHS website, public health inspectors monitor the practices of businesses and, if violations are discovered, conduct further investigations to determine the severity of the issues.

If warranted, public health inspectors have the authority to issue work, repair or closure orders or take further legal action.

For example, the work done by health inspectors was instrumental in the discovery of an E. coli outbreak at a Calgary child-care facility in September 2023.

According to the AUPE, 336 public health inspectors who are members of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) and 76 AUPE members currently employed by AHS will be affected by the transfer.

Katelyn Andrews, a public health inspector based in Edmonton, said the government’s assurances about the transition do not address all of the workers’ concerns.

“I think in this case, we’re arguing semantics,” Andrews said.

“I think the government is saying there will be no layoffs, and they’re using that to say there will be no lost positions. Everyone that’s laid off, and we will be laid off, from AHS will receive a job offer to go to the GOA.”

Andrews said inspectors are concerned about reduced hours, temporary and casual workers, possible relocation and future pay cuts.

“By reducing our working hours by half an hour per person per day across 260 inspectors, that will result in 130 less working hours per day, and that’s the equivalent of 18 full-time inspectors,” she said.

“So that’s like knocking out an entire team overnight.”

Andrews said inspectors do much more than restaurant inspections.

“We’re inspecting every food facility, every daycare, every long-term care facility, every swimming pool, every personal service, your spas, your tattoos, your nail salons,” she said.

“We see it all, and we do all of the housing complaints within our assigned area. We follow up on everyone’s drinking water, we look at your septic systems, we look at the beaches.

“This will be felt by all Albertans.”

Chantal McBride, a public health inspector based in Red Deer, said she works on housing complaints, food facilities, aquatic facilities, adult care facilities, daycare facilities, personal services and disease control files.

“A lot of what we are typically known for doing is inspecting food facilities, but we do so much more,” she said.

McBride said inspectors are not fighting the transfer itself but want it done fairly.

“We have not fought this transition,” she said.

“We’re not wanting to move, but we’ve come to terms that we will need to move. And we’re OK with that. We’re just wanting a fair transition.”

She said the process has caused anxiety and uncertainty.

“We as public health officials feel disrespected, undervalued,” McBride said.

“It really is impacting the work that we do for the public.”

Employees laid off, no guarantees given

The HSAA, in a separate statement Friday, said the plan has left it with “serious concerns,” particularly about the potential health risk to Albertans.

“They deserve better,” said HSAA president Leanne Alfaro.

“Our members ensure the food we eat is safe, the water we drink is clean and the public spaces we share meet the highest standards. They are highly trained professionals with enormous responsibility, and they should not be forced to choose between keeping their jobs and keeping the rights and protections they have secured with their union.”

Alfaro says the inspectors are also being put in a position where they are being forced to accept cuts to their pay and other benefits.

Under the terms of the transfer plan, these workers will be simultaneously laid off from AHS while receiving new, lesser offers of employment, the HSAA said.

Azocar said the government should put its promises in writing.

“The premier actually indicated that this was a lift into a new job,” Azocar said.

“It’s hardly a lift when you’re going to be given a layoff notice, and then a job offer that you may or may not be able to take.”

She said workers are being asked to do the same work for less.

“What is happening here is that people are being offered jobs to do the same work with significantly less pay,” Azocar said.

‘Align all of the things’: Smith

Speaking on her weekend radio show, Premier Danielle Smith addressed the issue by saying the government isn’t trying to uproot the lives of public health inspectors or cut jobs.

“Public health inspectors, by definition, don’t work in a hospital and don’t perform surgeries, and so they’re in the wrong department,” Smith said.

“We’re trying to align all of the things that go into preventative and community health services in a different department.”

Smith said the intention is for the move to be “a lift” into another department.

“There wasn’t an intention to reduce the numbers, because we know we need them, or decentralized, because there are health inspections that need to be done all over this province,” Smith said.

She further defended the plan by saying public health inspectors should not be moved only to urban centres because health inspections need to be done all over Alberta on a regular basis.

“It wouldn’t make much sense to have it in an urban centre, and then have somebody have to drive two to three hours to go do their inspections on a daily basis,” Smith said.

Alberta’s Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services agreed with the premier’s statement about the move supporting stable health-care services.

“There will be no layoffs and no centralization as a result of this transition. Public health inspectors will continue serving communities across Alberta, and our goal is to ensure affected employees are treated fairly and respectfully throughout the process while maintaining uninterrupted public health services that Albertans rely on,” Jaye Lang, press secretary for primary and preventative health services, said in a statement Monday.

“Public health inspection services, outbreak investigations, enforcement activities and other public health protections will continue without interruption before, during, and after the transition.”

But inspectors say wording in a recent letter of understanding leaves too many loopholes.

The document says, “The employer will be making conditional offers of employment to individuals currently employed by AHS-RHA.”

It also says, “To the extent possible, employees will be offered positions in the city where they currently work.”

Andrews said that has left many inspectors worried about whether they will be offered the same jobs in the same communities.

“We have no assurances that those people will not be forced to move to larger cities with GOA buildings,” she said.

Nenshi calls move ‘an absolute fiasco’

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said the move is another example of problems caused by the province’s restructuring of the health system.

“The transformation of Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health has been nothing short of a disaster,” Nenshi said.

He said the government did not properly plan for where public health services would go as AHS was broken up into new agencies.

“Public health really had nowhere to live, so now we understand public health will be in the government, where it can be controlled by the premier,” Nenshi said.

Nenshi said inspectors should be focused on public health, not job uncertainty.

“I would much rather have inspectors focus on getting rid of cockroaches and mouse droppings in restaurants and the important work that they do in ensuring everyone’s public health instead of fighting with this government,” he said.

No layoffs, no reassurances

Negotiations between the province and the AUPE are ongoing, but the HSAA wants the government to give these affected workers reassurances.

The union is seeking no loss of negotiated wage increases, benefits or pensions, as well as full recognition of seniority, years of service and vacation entitlements.

The HSAA also wants “a fair transition” that helps protect services for Albertans.

“Disrupting this workforce without a clear, well-developed plan creates risk—not only for workers, but for the communities they serve,” Alfaro said.

Andrews said many inspectors feel stuck because they remain members of the HSAA until the transition is complete, while the province is bargaining with their future union, the AUPE.

“Our current union is HSAA. They’ve said that they cannot negotiate for us,” Andrews said. “And then our future union, AUPE, cannot communicate with us clearly because we’re not currently members.”

The transition period is expected to begin by the end of July, with or without an agreement.

The deadline for an agreement is June 17.