The Alberta Hospice Palliative Care Association (AHPCA) is a charitable organization that strives to improve hospice palliative care in the province. For the past 30 years, the AHPCA engages in education, advocacy, and provision of resources to achieve comprehensive and quality hospice palliative and end of life care for all Albertans.

The AHPCA Roadshow began in 2010 as a series of full-day workshops developed in response to an identified need for palliative care training throughout Alberta. Well over 3,000 Albertans have attended the AHPCA Roadshow including professionals, volunteers, caregivers, patients and interested community members. During the pandemic, the Roadshow has gone online to comply with public health measures.  Since 2023, our program staff have planned and delivered in-person training to various communities in Alberta.

The AHPCA’s Support Network project aims to improve hospice, palliative, and end-of-life care across Alberta by strengthening community organizations and volunteers. This will be achieved by providing comprehensive education, training, and capacity-building resources to ensure that these organizations can offer effective and compassionate care. Key objectives include the development of specialized educational programs tailored to the needs of hospice care providers, as requested by hospice organizations. The project will also facilitate training sessions and workshops to enhance the skills and knowledge of hospice organization board members, staff, and volunteers. A central online platform is being created for continuous professional development, offering a repository of tools, templates, and resources to support organizational growth and effectiveness. Additionally, guidance and resources will be provided to help strengthen administrative capabilities within these organizations. The initiative will foster networking and collaboration among hospice organizations to enhance the overall quality of care.

The AHPCA’s advocacy inspired Bill C-220, an Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (bereavement leave), which became law in June 2021. In a letter to Alberta’s federal and provincial representatives, AHPCA highlighted the lack of bereavement leave for caregivers after their loved one dies. After meeting with AHPCA, an Alberta Member of Parliament sponsored a private member’s bill based on this issue. The new law gives 10 days of bereavement leave following the death of a family member to all Canadian employees whose job falls under the Canada Labour Code.