MLA Wright now one of four health ministers

Posted on June 4, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

By Zoe Mason
Southern Alberta Newspapers

Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright has been promoted to a ministerial position as part of a cabinet shuffle last month that rearranged nearly a quarter of Alberta’s executive council.

Wright will replace Adriana LaGrange as Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services.

He told Southern Alberta Newspapers in a statement he’s grateful to Premier Danielle Smith for the opportunity and he’s looking forward to getting to work.

“Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to hear directly from patients, physicians and frontline health-care workers across Alberta about both the successes and challenges within our system,” said Wright. “My focus will be on improving access to primary care, keeping care close to home and ensuring Albertans can access the preventive supports they need before health concerns become crises.”

Wright was previously named chief government whip in January. He has also served as Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health South since February 2025.

With Wright’s promotion, the number of cabinet ministers hailing from the southern part of the province increases to five out of 26 ministries.

Brandon Lunty will replace Wright as chief government whip. Lunty is chair of the citizen initiative review committee that recommended on May 21 the Forever Canadian petition question be added to the referendum ballot Oct. 19. He also chairs the electoral boundaries committee.

Wright’s new role is part of a larger shakeup that saw six ministers moved after two cabinet ministers announced resignations earlier in May.

Matt Jones stepped down as minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services and Nate Horner resigned as minister of Finance and president of Treasury Board.

Jones and Horner both released statements on May 20 saying they do not plan to run for re-election in 2027’s general election. They will continue serving as MLAs for their respective ridings for the remainder of the term.

Last month’s shuffle appoints new ministers for three of the four health-care ministries.

Adriana LaGrange is switching portfolios to fill the gap left by Jones for hospital and surgical health. LaGrange previously served as Minister of Health prior to the health-care refocusing that split the ministry in four.

Jason Nixon is taking over as finance minister, returning to the post he filled for four months under former premier Jason Kenney.

Nixon has served as minister of Assisted Living and Social Services since the ministry’s creation in May 2025. He will be replaced as head of that ministry by Nathan Neudorf.

Neudorf’s previous post of minister of Affordability and Utilities has been filled by agriculture minister R.J. Sigurdson.

Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills MLA Tara Sawyer has been promoted to her first cabinet role to replace Sigurdson as Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation.

The new ministers were sworn in at a ceremony on May 21.

The ceremony also saw Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr named to a new parliamentary secretary position for Transportation and Strategic Development.

As of April 2025, the promotion to a ministerial position with a portfolio came with a pay bump of $61,919 per year.

“This cabinet shuffle does nothing for Albertans,” said Opposition leader Naheed Nenshi in a statement. “It’s still the largest cabinet in Alberta history.”

Nenshi has suggested the resignations of Jones and Horner are related to public comments they made about the possibility of the premier advancing a separatist petition question despite objections from the courts.