Calgary gets its first cyclotron for cancer scans and treatments by 2029

Calgary is getting its first cyclotron—a machine that speeds up tiny charged particles to create radioactive materials for medical scans and cancer treatments—ending a two-decade reliance on supplies shipped from Edmonton.

The $71 million radiopharmaceutical centre will open at Foothills Medical Centre by 2029, part of a broader push to expand Alberta's capacity for nuclear medicine. Edmonton currently operates two cyclotrons; Calgary's will be the third in the province. Testing in Alberta is expected to triple over the next 15 years.

"Right now, every dose used in southern Alberta has to come from Edmonton," Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said Tuesday. "Producing them here in Calgary means less time in transit and more reliable supply for patients." Because these radioactive medicines begin to decay as soon as they're produced, local production matters urgently: a dose that loses potency during a multi-hour drive may be useless by the time it reaches a patient.

The centre will also support development of next-generation radioactive medications. The funding comes from government and donors, though the breakdown between the two sources was not disclosed.

This radiopharmaceutical centre represents a concrete step toward reducing wait times for diagnostic imaging and treatment in southern Alberta—a challenge the province identified in its 2026 cancer strategy.