AHS requesting return of financial surplus from WADEMSA
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Alberta Health Services (AHS) is currently requesting the return of over $4 million of funding surplus from the Wheatland and Adjacent Districts Emergency Medical Services Association (WADEMSA).
In a letter dated May 27 from Matthew Striepe, manager of contract strategy and performance with AHS Emergency Medical Services addressed to Rob Witty, CAO of WADEMSA, it is indicated discussions had taken place between the two organizations for the return of $4,050,830.92 accumulated from 2013 to 2024, to AHS EMS by WADEMSA.
Striepe stated in his letter the funding in question is required by AHS to help address provincial system pressures.
Witty is indicated to have reported some of WADEMSA’s funding surplus as being tied up in investing activities, however, exactly what those are was not presented in Striepe’s letter.
Striepe requested Witty to provide to AHS a statement outlining WADEMSA’s remaining surplus value, an explanation outlining the rationale for any variance in the reported surplus to the actual remaining value, as well as how much of the surplus is committed to investing activities, and what the liquidity of those investments are.
Witty, in a response to Striepe dated June 4, said $1,291,534.80 had been invested in five separate investments with an array of mature dates. The earliest of which, having been June 26. The furthest was stated to be March 16, 2026.
He also stated WADEMSA’s Ground Ambulance Service Agreement and Striepe’s funding return request letter had been forwarded to WADEMSA’s legal team for advisement.
A letter dated June 7, from Striepe to Darcy Burke, vice chair of WADEMSA, and the WADEMSA Board of Directors, stated AHS did not receive the clarity regarding WADEMSA’s spending they were hoping for, as well as WADEMSA’s willingness to return their surplus to AHS.
Striepe’s June 7 letter stated AHS to have requested a meeting with the WADEMSA board to continue dialogue, as well as that WADEMSA cease any spending of their surplus, noted in the letter to be $2,145,333, and for WADEMSA to provide AHS with financial statements and accompanying notes for the 2009 through 2017 fiscal years.
The $2,145,333 surplus was noted by Witty in his letter to Striepe as being the actual surplus based on WADEMSA’s audited financial statements, as opposed to the $4,050,830.92 which would have been concluded from respective Q4 reports each year.
“AHS EMS has a comprehensive contract management program to support service delivery partners, ensuring that funding levels are appropriate and that funds are used according to the terms of their agreements,” offered AHS in a statement regarding the letters. “AHS is actively addressing this matter with the contract partner.”
Striepe declined to comment regarding the contents of the letters as well as regarding the financials under investigation.