The CEO of Alberta Health Services, who assumed the role following a controversial dismissal in January, is currently on a leave of absence. Andre Tremblay, a former provincial health official, is on leave as confirmed by the provincial hospital agency on Wednesday. Erin O’Neill, a current executive within AHS, has been appointed as the interim CEO by Hospitals Minister Matt Jones.
Eleven months ago, Tremblay took over as the top executive and sole director of AHS after the removal of the entire board and former CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos. This change followed allegations made by Mentzelopoulos of wrongful dismissal after she initiated an investigation into contracts with private surgical companies allegedly linked to government officials. These allegations led to inquiries by the auditor-general, the RCMP, and a retired judge, sparking a political controversy over AHS procurement and potential conflicts of interest.
Tremblay, previously the deputy minister for Alberta Health, was implicated in Mentzelopoulos’s claims. According to her lawsuit, Tremblay unexpectedly joined a Zoom call on January 8 and informed her of immediate termination. AHS has not disclosed the specifics of Tremblay’s leave, citing it as a confidential human resources matter.
Premier Danielle Smith’s government initially allowed Tremblay to hold multiple roles within the health sector simultaneously. However, he was later removed from the ministry position amid mounting pressure related to the Mentzelopoulos allegations. O’Neill, the newly appointed interim CEO, previously worked as an assistant deputy minister for Alberta Health alongside Tremblay.
This recent leadership change within AHS coincides with the province’s ongoing restructuring efforts, which involve the establishment of new Crown agencies like Acute Care Alberta and Primary Care Alberta. The government’s objective is to redefine the health system’s focus and reduce AHS’s scope to primarily overseeing public hospitals rather than serving as a comprehensive provincial health authority.