Alberta is investing $125 million over the next four years to build a new Office of the Chief Medical Examiner facility in Edmonton to keep pace with a booming population and speed up death investigations.
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On June 2, the province announced the funding will replace the current Edmonton facility, which has been in use since 1983. In the four decades since it opened, Alberta’s population has more than doubled.
The government is also spending $4.4 million to upgrade and replace toxicology equipment. Officials say the new tech will improve the detection of emerging synthetic drugs, alcohol and opioids.
Justice minister Mickey Amery said the investment will strengthen a vital service that Albertans rely on during their most difficult moments.
“Replacing infrastructure built in 1983 with a modern facility is about more than expanding space – it’s about helping families,” added infrastructure minister Martin Long, noting the project is expected to take four years to complete.
The upgraded toxicology lab will also continue to support neighbouring jurisdictions. In addition to handling Alberta’s cases, the Edmonton lab provides specialized testing for Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
Dr. Akmal Coetzee-Khan, Alberta’s chief medical examiner, said the purpose-built space will improve efficiency and help provide faster, more detailed answers to grieving families and the justice system.
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