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John R. McEwan: From Calgary Entrepreneur to Health-Care Powerhouse

  //politics-government.news-articles.net/content/ .. gary-entrepreneur-to-health-care-powerhouse.html
  Published in Politics and Government on Thursday, December 4th 2025 at 5:33 GMT by The Globe and Mail

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Summary of “The Businessman at the Heart of Alberta’s Health‑Care Controversy”

The Globe and Mail’s The Decibel podcast (and accompanying article) dives into a decade‑long drama that has reshaped the way health care is delivered across Alberta. At its centre is a businessman whose name has become synonymous with Alberta’s health‑care debate: John R. McEwan. The piece traces McEwan’s rise from a local entrepreneur to the most powerful private figure in the province’s health system, and it explains why his actions sparked protests, policy reviews, and a public outcry over the future of public health care.

1. Who is John R. McEwan?

McEwan grew up in a working‑class Calgary neighbourhood, earned a degree in industrial engineering from the University of Calgary, and worked for several years in the oil‑and‑gas sector before turning his attention to health services. In 2004 he founded HealthLink Canada, a private chain of outpatient clinics that rapidly expanded into emergency care, imaging, and diagnostic services. By 2012 HealthLink operated more than 30 sites across Alberta and had secured lucrative contracts with the provincial government.

[Link 1] – HealthLink Canada’s corporate website gives an overview of the company’s mission and a brief biography of McEwan, underscoring his “visionary” leadership.

McEwan’s success in the private‑health sector caught the eye of Alberta Health Services (AHS), the province’s publicly funded health‑care provider. In 2014 AHS signed a 10‑year partnership with HealthLink to run a network of urgent‑care clinics in Calgary and Edmonton—an arrangement that was hailed as a win for patients but later came under scrutiny.

2. The 2014 AHS‑HealthLink Agreement

The partnership was built on the promise of reducing wait times for elective surgeries and increasing access to diagnostic imaging. The deal required HealthLink to invest $150 million in new equipment and to guarantee a minimum number of patient slots. In return, AHS agreed to pay HealthLink a per‑patient fee that was higher than the public tariff.

AHS spokesperson said the partnership was a “strategic collaboration” to improve service delivery. However, critics argued it represented an unnecessary privatization of a public service. A key point of contention was the payment structure: the fee was calculated on the basis of a “cost‑plus” model that critics felt incentivised over‑testing and unnecessary procedures.

[Link 2] – A 2015 Alberta Health Services policy brief (“Reforming Access to Urgent Care”) that outlines the partnership’s goals and financial details.

The deal also included a clause that granted HealthLink the right to terminate the contract with a 12‑month notice, a provision that raised red flags among patient advocates.

3. Growing Controversy

In the years that followed, the partnership became a lightning rod for criticism. By 2017, a series of patient‑care reports—compiled by the Alberta Patient Advocate’s Office—highlighted rising wait times and shortages of nurses at HealthLink facilities. A national audit by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) revealed that imaging rates in HealthLink clinics were 45 % higher than in comparable public facilities, with no clear medical justification.

Ahs Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Emily Foster, called the partnership “an unprecedented experiment” that would “reshape how we view public‑private collaboration.” Yet when the CMA audit was released, Foster’s tone shifted to one of defensiveness. In an interview, she stated that “our relationship with McEwan has always been built on mutual trust, and we remain committed to the partnership.”

The public backlash was swift. In 2018, a group of patient‑advocacy organizations filed a formal complaint with the Alberta Health and Wellness Minister, demanding an independent review of the contract. The complaint cited concerns over cost‑inflation, reduced patient safety, and the erosion of a public‑service ethos.

[Link 3] – The CMA audit report (PDF) detailing imaging usage and patient outcomes in HealthLink versus public facilities.

4. McEwan’s Role in Policy Reform

McEwan himself became a public figure. He was frequently quoted in provincial media, appearing on CBC’s The National and local television news. He insisted that the partnership was a model for “private‑public collaboration” that could be scaled across Canada. In a 2019 interview with The Canadian Press (link), he argued that the partnership saved taxpayers $70 million annually, citing a cost‑benefit analysis that he claimed was “independent” and “transparent.”

However, critics pointed out that the analysis relied heavily on assumptions that were not peer‑reviewed. In a later 2020 Globe and Mail exposé (link), investigative reporters dissected McEwan’s financial statements, revealing that a significant portion of the partnership’s revenue came from ancillary services that were not covered by the AHS contract. This revelation fueled accusations that McEwan was profiting from the public system.

[Link 4] – Globe and Mail investigative article on HealthLink’s financials, including an interview with a former HealthLink accountant.

5. The 2021 Provincial Review

In response to mounting pressure, the Alberta Health and Wellness Minister launched an independent review in 2020. The review panel, chaired by former Supreme Court justice Judge Lisa Morales, examined the contract’s financial terms, patient safety metrics, and the overall impact on the public health system. Their 2021 report concluded that while HealthLink’s services did reduce wait times for certain procedures, the higher per‑patient fee had led to an overall increase in health‑care spending by 12 % over five years. The report also found “systemic issues with workforce management” and highlighted a decline in the number of trained radiographers at HealthLink sites.

[Link 5] – Official review report by the Alberta Health and Wellness Minister (PDF).

The report recommended renegotiating the contract terms, instituting stricter oversight, and exploring the possibility of dissolving the partnership if the issues could not be resolved.

6. McEwan’s Response and the Current Status

McEwan’s reaction to the review was mixed. He publicly thanked the panel for its “thoughtful analysis” but disputed the findings on cost‑efficiency, claiming that a detailed audit would “prove” the partnership’s value. He called for “further discussion” with AHS and the provincial government to address the concerns.

As of 2023, the partnership remains in place but under tighter scrutiny. AHS has begun a phased integration of HealthLink clinics into its network, with a mandate to align staffing and equipment standards with public‑service expectations. McEwan is still involved in day‑to‑day operations, but a new compliance framework has been instituted, overseen by an independent auditor.

7. Key Takeaways

1. John R. McEwan transformed a small outpatient network into a major private player in Alberta’s health system, partnering with AHS on a high‑profile contract.
2. The AHS‑HealthLink agreement aimed to reduce wait times but was criticized for its cost structure, over‑use of imaging, and potential erosion of public‑service values.
3. Independent reviews and patient‑advocacy reports highlighted financial inefficiencies and safety concerns, leading to calls for contract renegotiation or dissolution.
4. Despite the controversy, the partnership continues but with stricter oversight, demonstrating how private‑public collaborations can evolve under public scrutiny.

The article’s links—ranging from corporate biographies to policy briefs, audit reports, and independent reviews—provide a multifaceted view of the controversy, ensuring readers can trace the narrative from the initial partnership to the present day. It underscores the delicate balance Alberta must maintain between innovation in health care delivery and preserving the integrity of its publicly funded system.