Rooted in Community: Rural Health leaders gather
From October 6 to 8, the Rural Health Professions Action Plan (RhPAP) brought health-care providers, elected officials, community and government leaders, researchers and rural health champions together in Peace River for its 2026 conference, Rooted in Community. We were inspired by the hard questions participants asked about the challenges facing rural healthcare, and we were proud to participate as part of our commitment to advocacy around access to health care. Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis) President Dylan Bressey highlighted the importance of rural elected officials showing up and being “health champions for their communities.”
The three-day gathering focused on the future of rural health care and the important role communities can play in shaping solutions. Participants learned from rural communities, hearing the experiences of health-care providers and local leaders. We explored practical approaches to attracting and retaining health professionals.
Rural healthcare does not occur in isolation. Local governments may not operate the health system, but municipal leaders see firsthand how access to health care affects residents and the communities they serve. The ingenuity and resilience of rural communities, on display at this conference, are key to healthcare solutions that work for them.
The conference was also a reminder that rural communities are not simply waiting for solutions. Across Alberta, communities are bringing people together to share what works and helping create the conditions that make health professionals feel connected to the places where they live and work.
That’s why RhPAP’s Rooted in Community theme worked so well: strong solutions grow from local wisdom and the resilience of rural communities themselves.
