Calgary Rural Diabetes Program

This service may provide:

• diabetes education/counselling in a virtual group setting
• one-to-one appointments with nurses and dietitians, which include an overview of the disease, complications, medications, exercise, and nutrition

Community Health Centres

Community Health Centres provide a wide range of health services, which may include:

• Antenatal Community Prenatal Program (ACCP)
• Best Beginning
• Early Start Parent Drop In
• Postpartum Services
• School Health Program
• Well Child Services

Environmental Public Health - Drinking Water

Albertans rely on safe drinking water from both public and private sources. Public health inspectors work with many partners to:

• offer bacterial and chemical water sampling supplies for private wells and cisterns
• provide information on protecting or improving water quality, including water treatment options
• confirm the safety of public water supplies
• issue health orders or advisories if there are health risks associated with drinking water supplies

Alberta's Nuisance and General Sanitation Regulation and the Public Health Guidelines for Non-Municipal Drinking Water include requirements and best practices for smaller public potable water systems.

Submit an online complaint or request, or contact us at 1-833-476-4743. For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website.

Environmental Public Health - Education

Answers general environmental public health questions about topics like safe cooking, pest problems, and mould.

Offers classes, courses, presentations, and displays on many environmental public health topics. They are suited to the audience’s needs. Information can be in-person, online, or in home study, and may be available in other languages. Some services offered are:

• bed bugs presentations
• courses for childcare facility staff
• courses to operate temporary food concessions at fairs, festivals, exhibitions, carnivals, or other special events
• displays at trade shows and expos
• food sanitation and hygiene courses (the AHS Food Safety Course is required by Alberta’s Food Regulation)
• hand washing and personal hygiene presentations
• home study on food safety (a certificate in basic food safety may be issued)
• swimming pool operators course
• 3-hour courses on food safety (a certificate in basic food safety may be issued)

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website or submit a request online.

Environmental Public Health - Housing and Rental Accommodations

All rental accommodations in Alberta must be safe for tenants and meet minimum health standards. Public health inspectors respond to complaints and work with tenants and landlords to deal with health concerns in rental housing, like no heat, pests (mice, bed bugs), or mould.

Alberta's Housing Regulation and Minimum Housing and Health Standards list the requirements for all rental units such as apartments, hotels, motels, work camps, and houses.
Submit an online complaint or request, or contact us at 1-833-476-4743. For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website.

Environmental Public Health - New Business and Plan Approval

Reviews and approves plans for building or renovating restaurants or other food establishments, swimming pools, social care facilities (e.g., daycares and nursing homes), and personal service facilities (e.g., tattoo studios, spas).

Reviews plans for special events (e.g., fairs, exhibitions, or carnivals) to make sure the right services are available (including washrooms and hand wash stations).

Issues permits and licenses needed for some facilities to operate like:

• a Food Handling Permit for food establishments open to the public
• a Public Swimming Pools Regulation License for swimming pools open to the public

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website or submit a request online.

Environmental Public Health - Orders, Disclosure and Legal Activity

This service inspects public places. When needed, is granted the power by The Public Health Act to order dangerous conditions to be fixed, removed, destroyed, or declared unfit.

Public health inspectors are designated as executive officers under the Public Health Act (RSA Chapter P-37) and enforce these regulations and standards:

• Artificial Tanning Regulation
• Bodies of Deceased Persons Regulation (AR 135/2008)
• Communicable Diseases Regulation (AR 238/1985)
• Food Regulation (AR 31/2006)
• Food Retail and Foodservices Code
• Housing Regulation (AR 173/1999)
• Institutions Regulation (AR 143/1981)
• Minimum Housing and Health Standards
• Nuisance and General Sanitation Regulation (AR 243/2003)
• Personal Services Regulation (AR 1/2020)
• Personal Services Standards
• Recreation Area Regulation (AR 198/2004)
• Pool Standards
• Public Swimming Pools Regulation (204/2014)
• Standards for Artificial Tanning Facility Signage
• Waiver Regulation (AR 298/2003)
• Work Camps Regulation (AR 218/2002)

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website or submit a request online.

Environmental Public Health - Personal Services

All personal services offered in Alberta must be safe for clients. Public health inspectors educate personal service workers and conduct inspections to assess if services are carried out in a safe way.
Personal services include hair styling, hair removal, manicures and pedicures, facials and skin care services, tanning, piercing, tattooing and other services that enhance, preserve or alter the client’s appearance. Personal services are offered to the public in many places such as salons, spas, tattoo studios, home-based businesses, mobile businesses, or special events.
Alberta's Personal Services Regulation and Personal Services Standards describe the minimum requirements for personal service facilities.

Personal services businesses need to notify AHS of all the services they offer to the public. This can be done online using the Personal Services Notification.

Submit an online complaint or request, or contact us at 1-833-476-4743. For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website.

Environmental Public Health - Recreational Water

Keeps the public from getting sick when using recreational water by:

• approving pool plans
• inspecting pools and other water facilities to ensure water is safe and sanitary
• teaching operators about proper pool maintenance
• reviewing water sample results (local community health centres may accept water samples for testing for E. coli, total coliforms, and Pseudomonas)

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website or submit a request online.

Environmental Public Health - Risks: Indoor Air, Outdoor Air, Contaminated Sites

Responds to and investigates health risks from activities like sour gas wells, forest fires, and accidental releases of gasoline, pesticides, or other chemicals.

Reviews and makes recommendations to approving authorities regarding proposed land use developments (e.g., intensive livestock operations, industrial plants, or developments on contaminated sites).

Responds to complaints and investigates indoor air in residences, schools, malls, swimming pools, or other public places. Will also respond to and investigate complaints about outdoor air.

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website or submit a request online.

Environmental Public Health - Safe Food

Alberta Health Services issues food handling permits to facilities that offer food to the public, like restaurants, food trucks, grocery stores, daycares, and nursing homes. Public health inspectors follow up on complaints and inspect food facilities to assess food safety.

Public health inspectors offer food safety information, education, and provide guidance on safe food handling practices for special events, markets, bake sales, and other functions.

Alberta's Food Regulation and Food Retail and Foodservices Code describe the minimum health requirements for food facilities.

Submit an online complaint or request, or contact us at 1-833-476-4743. For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website.

Environmental Public Health - Social Care

Reviews plans for new businesses and approves facilities as requested by Children's Services, Inspects many adult and childcare facilities routinely and follows up on complaints from clients or their families. May also provide education for staff in social care facilities.

Applies the requirements of various regulations under the Public Health Act and the CSA Standards in social care facilities including:

• daycares and foster homes
• drop-in centres and shelters
• group family day homes and group homes
• long-term care facilities, nursing homes, and seniors’ lodges
• preschools and out-of-school care
• playgrounds

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website or submit a request online.

Environmental Public Health - Water Sample Bottle Pick-up and Drop-off

Drinking water, beaches and swimming pool water can be tested. Chemical water sampling testing is available and looks for common chemicals and trace metals found in water. Bacteria water sampling tests water samples for indicator bacteria to ensure water is safe.

For additional information,

• Environmental Public Health - Drinking Water
• Sample Your Water - Environmental Public Health
• Testing your drinking water in Alberta

Environmental Public Health - Work Camps

Inspects work camps of all sizes, including camps that move around Alberta or stay in one place. This includes camps used for any type of business (e.g., oil exploration and development, logging, tree planting). Inspections check that food is safely prepared, water is safe to drink, sewage is properly treated and disposed of, and housing conditions are safe.

Teaches companies about requirements for work camps.

Investigates complaints from people living at work camps.

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website or submit a request online.

Environmental Public Health Program

Submit an online complaint or request, or contact us at 1-833-476-4743. For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website.

Immunization - Adult Services

This service provides routine immunization for adults. Suggested immunizations:

• a booster dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough)(dTap) every 10 years
• dTap vaccine for pregnant women every time they are pregnant
• Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) for unprotected adults born in 1981 or later. Some adults born before 1981 may need this vaccine if they are at risk for hepatitis B (e.g. health problems, type of work, lifestyle, contact with the virus)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for adults up to and including age 26 years who did not get it in school.
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine for adults whose immunization records do not show the recommended number of doses of measles, mumps, or rubella vaccine.
• Chickenpox vaccine for unprotected adults
• annual influenza vaccine
• pneumococcal vaccine for all adults 65 years of age and older and adults with certain health problems

To find out which vaccines are recommended for you and to book an appointment for immunization, call your nearest community / public health centre. If you are not sure where your nearest community / public health centre is, you can call Health Link at 811. Bring any immunization records you have to the appointment, especially if you were immunized in another province or country.

For more general information about immunization go to ImmunizeAlberta.ca, Immunizations at myhealth.alberta.ca, or call Health Link.

Immunization - Infant and Preschool Services

Alberta Health Services provides routine immunization for infants and children across Alberta. Immunizations are free of charge for infants and children who live in Alberta.
Immunizations are recommended for infants starting at 2 months of age. Routinely recommended vaccines include: diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal, pneumococcal, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), and influenza.

For the routine immunization schedule, go to immunizealberta.ca.

Additional vaccines may be needed depending on your child’s health conditions or other risk factors.

Immunization is effective. Other than providing safe drinking water, no other health intervention works as well as immunization to reduce disease and death rates. Immunization protects whole communities. The more people who are fully immunized in a community, the safer everyone is.

Immunization is safe. It is much safer to get immunized than to get the diseases that vaccines protect against.

For more information, and to book an appointment, call your nearest community/public health centre. If you are not sure where your nearest community/public health centre is, call Health Link at 811. Bring your child’s immunization record to the appointment, especially if your child was immunized in another province or country.

For more general information about immunization, go to immunizealberta.ca,Immunizations at myhealth.alberta.ca, or call Health Link at 811.

Immunization - School Services

Each year, Alberta Health Services, Public Health reviews immunization records for students in grades 1, 6, and 9 to see what immunizations each student needs. A consent form is then sent home with an information sheet for each vaccine recommended for the student. No immunizations will be given in school without consent from a parent or legal guardian. Immunizations in this program include:

• Grades 1, 6, and 9: Any routine childhood and school vaccines that may have been missed according to a review of the students immunization record on file
• Grade 6: Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine for students who have not already completed a hepatitis B immunization series and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
• Grade 9: diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (dTap) and meningococcal (Groups A, C, Y, W-135) conjugate vaccine

Lactation Services

Offers breastfeeding/chestfeeding support to:

• parents who have breast/chest concerns e.g. latching, sore nipples, yeast, mastitis, milk supply, pumping
• babies with tongue-ties, yeast, latching problems, slow weight gain, failure to thrive
• prenatal counselling regarding nipple concerns, concerns with breast/chestfeeding, had breast surgery, had concerns with breast/chestfeeding other children or need support

A breast/chestfeeding resource for doctors and healthcare providers, also offers teaching to medical students, residents, and nurses about breastfeeding.

Preschool Oral Health Services

Fluoride varnish helps protect your child's teeth from tooth decay (cavities). It slows down decay already started.

Your child needs four fluoride varnish visits, six months apart, to best protect their teeth. Fluoride varnish is painted on your child's teeth. It takes less than one minute to apply. You can hold your child during the visit.

You can also ask any questions you may have about protecting your child's teeth.

If your child is diagnosed with asthma by a doctor, bring their quick reliever medication to the appointment. If your child feels anxious with dental visits it may trigger asthma symptoms.

This provincial prevention service is available across Alberta.

For more information and eligibility, visit our website: Preschool Oral Health Services

School Health Program

This service offers:

• public health nursing to support all schools in the Calgary Zone
• public health nursing assists school communities with health resource navigation and partners with school communities to promote health and develop strong, supportive communities
• school aged immunizations through school-based programs. Routine immunization programs occur in grades 1, 6 and 9

School Oral Health Services

Services are offered to eligible schools and may include:

• fluoride varnish, provided to kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2
• dental sealants, provided to Grade 1 and Grade 2

A child diagnosed with asthma must have their short acting asthma reliever medication with them to receive service.

Tuberculosis Testing

Offers free tuberculosis (TB) skin testing to eligible Albertans. The Mantoux skin test is not recommended to diagnose TB.

Testing is done at public health centres throughout the province:

• North Zone
• Edmonton Zone
• Central Zone
• Calgary Zone
• South Zone

If you are not eligible for free testing but still need to be tested there will be a charge for the test.

For travel or work related TB testing contact the Travel Health Services in your area.

Well Child Services

Provide appointments for:

• routine vaccination (2, 4, 6, 12, 18 months and 4 years of age)
• health education, health promotion and support for parents related to adjustment to parenthood, breastfeeding, infant feeding, nutrition and healthy eating, normal growth and development, etc.
• health assessment and screening to identify health concerns
• information and referral to community services, and community partnerships

There are 20 Community Health Centres (7 urban and 13 rural) across the Calgary Zone.