AHS exploring private food vendors for several hospitals; 240 employees at risk

Alberta Health Services (AHS) announced Wednesday they are entering talks with food vendors that will see 100 per cent of retail food services at several AHS sites contracted elsewhere.

The deal could impact 240 full-time, part-time, and casual employees.

AHS say they are going to work with the current staff members and their union throughout this process, and they anticipate there will be opportunities for employment with the new vendors or elsewhere in the health-care system.

AHS already contracts around 40 per cent of retail food services in Calgary and Edmonton. When negotiations are concluded, AHS would contract out all retail food services in both cities.

AHS say the goal is to expand the options and availability of food at cafeterias and coffee shops at several sites.

Those sites include Peter Lougheed Centre, Rockyview General Hospital, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary Cancer Centre, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Richmond Road Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Sheldon M Chumir Health Centre, University of Alberta Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital and Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.

More money for health services

Mauro Chies, interim president and CEO of AHS, says this decision could provide $3 million per year in revenue that will be used to support core heath services.

“Redirecting health-care dollars to frontlines allows us to continue to provide high-quality health care to Albertans,” Chies said in a statement.

“Alberta’s government is committed to improving all aspects of the hospital experience,” added Jason Copping, Alberta’s minister of health. “This includes improving core services like retail food delivery for those visiting loved ones in care.”

The vendors in talks with AHS are Aramark, Compass and Sodexo.

AHS has not announced a timeline for the start of the new vendors at each hospital, with that timeline being a part of the ongoing negotiations.