The Misericordia and Grey Nuns Hospitals in Edmonton — operated by Covenant Health — host Canada's only publicly funded outpatient psychiatric IV ketamine program. The program treats ultra-resistant TRD (treatment-resistant depression) under AHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan) coverage for eligible Alberta residents. The program has delivered thousands of IV ketamine infusions since launch, making it both a clinical landmark and a meaningful Canadian public-funding precedent for psychedelic-assisted therapy. Access requires psychiatric referral with documentation of ultra-resistant TRD — typically failure of multiple antidepressant classes plus augmentation strategies, often plus prior ECT. Capacity is limited; wait times reflect demand. This article walks through the program eligibility, referral pathway, and how it fits in the broader Canadian ketamine therapy landscape.
Key takeaways
- The Misericordia and Grey Nuns Hospital ketamine program in Edmonton is Canada's only publicly funded outpatient psychiatric IV ketamine program.
- Operator: Covenant Health — operates both Misericordia Community Hospital and Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton.
- Coverage: AHCIP (Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan) for eligible Alberta residents.
- Eligibility: ultra-resistant TRD with psychiatric referral — typically failure of multiple antidepressant classes including augmentation strategies; many patients have prior ECT non-response or contraindication.
- Service operations: Monday–Friday 6:30 AM–2:30 PM; address 1100 Youville Drive NW (Grey Nuns) and other Covenant Health Edmonton facilities.
- Capacity: limited — wait times reflect demand. Psychiatric referral required; cannot self-refer.
- The program has been operational since approximately 2015, delivering thousands of ketamine infusions.
- For non-Albertan TRD patients: this program is generally not accessible (provincial residency required for AHCIP); private-pay or alternative pathways apply.
What the program is
Covenant Health operates the publicly funded IV ketamine program at Misericordia and Grey Nuns Hospitals in Edmonton. The program has delivered thousands of IV ketamine infusions since its launch around 2015, making it the most operationally established Canadian public ketamine pathway.
Key facts:
- Hospital settings: Misericordia Community Hospital and Grey Nuns Community Hospital
- Operator: Covenant Health (Alberta health authority)
- Coverage: AHCIP — free to Alberta residents
- Service hours: Monday–Friday 6:30 AM–2:30 PM
- Address (Grey Nuns): 1100 Youville Drive NW, Edmonton
For Covenant Health's published material on the program: Covenant Health — Ketamine for Depression.
Eligibility — ultra-resistant TRD
The program targets ultra-resistant TRD — patients who have failed multiple treatment levels:
Typical eligibility profile
- Documented TRD with failure of at least 2 antidepressant trials
- Failure of augmentation strategies: lithium, atypical antipsychotics (aripiprazole, brexpiprazole, quetiapine), T3
- Many patients have failed multiple antidepressant classes (SSRIs, SNRIs, atypicals like bupropion or mirtazapine, tricyclics)
- Many patients have had prior ECT — either ECT non-response or ECT-incompatible (cardiac, anesthesia risk, patient refusal)
- Documented severe depression with measurable severity scores
- Medically stable for IV ketamine with cardiovascular and other relevant screening
Typical contraindications (consistent with broader IV ketamine practice)
- Active psychosis
- Recent or current mania/hypomania
- Uncontrolled cardiovascular disease
- Severe hepatic impairment
- Pregnancy
- Specific substance use disorder considerations
For the broader TRD evidence and clinical context, see Ketamine Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression (deep dive).
The referral pathway
The program requires psychiatric referral — patients cannot self-refer. The practical pathway:
1. Establish ultra-resistant TRD diagnosis with treating psychiatrist
The patient's treating psychiatrist documents the multi-trial failure pattern, severity, and treatment history.
2. Psychiatric referral to the Edmonton program
The treating psychiatrist or affiliated psychiatric service refers the patient to the Misericordia/Grey Nuns ketamine program. Specific referral pathways involve Covenant Health intake processes and Alberta Health Services psychiatric referrals.
3. Program intake and screening
The program team reviews the referral, conducts intake assessment, and confirms eligibility. Cardiovascular screening and other medical evaluation are part of intake.
4. Wait time
The program's capacity is limited relative to demand. Wait times reflect this. Specific wait time depends on referral volume and program capacity.
5. Acute treatment course
Once admitted, patients typically receive an acute ketamine infusion course (commonly 6 infusions over 2–3 weeks following the Singh 2016 twice-weekly evidence-supported protocol). Specific protocols may vary.
6. Maintenance and follow-up
Following acute course, maintenance dosing and ongoing psychiatric care are coordinated.
Why this program matters in the Canadian landscape
The Misericordia/Grey Nuns program is meaningful for several reasons:
1. Only publicly funded Canadian outpatient psychiatric IV ketamine
This is the single Canadian outpatient psychiatric IV ketamine program with full provincial drug-plan coverage. All other Canadian psychiatric ketamine therapy is privately delivered with various out-of-pocket or insurance-based payment models.
2. Operational maturity
Thousands of IV ketamine infusions delivered since launch. The program has practical experience navigating the IV ketamine pathway in a public-system context — important for any future expansion of provincial ketamine coverage.
3. Ultra-resistant TRD focus
Most published evidence on IV ketamine for TRD enrolled patients with prior antidepressant failures. The Edmonton program serves precisely this population, making it the most evidence-aligned Canadian publicly funded option.
4. Albertan-specific
Limited to Alberta residents with AHCIP coverage. Out-of-province patients face provincial residency barriers; some Alberta-relocation strategies exist but are individual-case.
For the comparison to other Canadian ketamine pathways, see Ketamine Therapy in Edmonton and Ketamine Therapy in Calgary.
How ATMA CENA supports patients pursuing the Edmonton public program
ATMA CENA's Edmonton corporate clinic operates separately from the Misericordia/Grey Nuns publicly funded program but in the same Edmonton ketamine ecosystem. ATMA CENA's role for patients evaluating the public program:
- ATMA CENA's intake call can discuss whether the public Edmonton program is the right fit given the patient's specific TRD profile and where ATMA CENA's KAT services fit (typically broader indications, faster access, but private-pay).
- Coordination with treating psychiatrist is key for the referral pathway — ATMA CENA can support patients in understanding what the referral conversation with their psychiatrist looks like.
- For patients who do not qualify for the public program or who face long wait times: ATMA CENA's KAT services provide an alternative ketamine therapy pathway with broader indication scope (TRD, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, chronic pain) and faster access timing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Misericordia/Grey Nuns ketamine program? Canada's only publicly funded outpatient psychiatric IV ketamine program. Operated by Covenant Health at Misericordia Community Hospital and Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton. AHCIP-covered for eligible Alberta residents.
Who is eligible? Albertans with ultra-resistant TRD who have failed multiple antidepressant classes and augmentation strategies; many patients have prior ECT non-response or contraindication. Psychiatric referral required; cannot self-refer.
What's covered? The IV ketamine treatment is covered under AHCIP for eligible Alberta residents.
What's the referral process? Treating psychiatrist refers to the program. Program intake assesses eligibility. Wait times reflect capacity. Acute course follows once admitted.
What if I'm not an Alberta resident? The program is limited to Alberta residents with AHCIP coverage. Out-of-province patients with TRD pursue alternative ketamine therapy pathways — private-pay through KAT clinics (ATMA CENA, SABI Mind, others), workers' compensation if compensable, VAC if service-connected.
What's the wait time? Varies based on capacity and referral volume. Confirm with the program intake process.
Where exactly is the program located? Misericordia Community Hospital and Grey Nuns Community Hospital — both in Edmonton. Grey Nuns is at 1100 Youville Drive NW; Misericordia is in west Edmonton.
Service hours? Monday–Friday, 6:30 AM–2:30 PM.
What's the typical treatment protocol? IV ketamine infusions following established evidence-supported protocols (commonly 6 infusions over 2–3 weeks for the acute course; maintenance individualized). Specific protocols may vary.
How does this compare to private KAT clinics in Alberta? Public Edmonton program = AHCIP-covered; ultra-resistant TRD only; psychiatric referral required; longer wait times. Private KAT clinics (ATMA CENA, SABI Mind, others) = out-of-pocket or Alberta Blue Cross PAT-eligible; broader indications; shorter access timelines; comparable clinical evidence base.
Does the Edmonton program offer Spravato? The program is primarily IV ketamine. Spravato is administered through Janssen Journey-certified clinics typically with private insurance prior auth. Confirm specific Spravato availability with the Misericordia/Grey Nuns program.
Does the program treat PTSD or chronic pain? The program is primarily focused on ultra-resistant TRD. PTSD and chronic pain ketamine work in Canada is generally delivered through private clinics or workers' compensation pathways. See Ketamine Therapy for PTSD and Ketamine Therapy for Chronic Pain.
Is there a Calgary equivalent? Calgary does not have an equivalent publicly funded outpatient psychiatric ketamine program. Calgary KAT is delivered through private clinics including SABI Mind (the first Alberta IV ketamine clinic) and ATMA CENA's Calgary corporate clinic. See Ketamine Therapy in Calgary.
What if I'm denied admission to the program? Discuss alternatives with your psychiatrist — alternative TRD strategies, private KAT pathways (ATMA CENA, SABI Mind, others), or other appropriate options. The ATMA CENA intake call can orient you to alternatives.
Sources
- Covenant Health — Ketamine for Depression: https://covenanthealth.ca/news-and-events/news/ketamine-used-to-treat-depression-at-the-misericordia-and-grey-nuns-hospitals
- Covenant Health: https://covenanthealth.ca/
- Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan: https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip
- CANMAT 2021 — Swainson J, et al. Racemic ketamine task force recommendations. Can J Psychiatry. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33174760/
- Anand A, et al. (2023). Ketamine versus ECT for nonpsychotic TRD: ELEKT-D. NEJM. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37224135/
- Singh JB, et al. (2016). Twice-weekly vs thrice-weekly IV ketamine in TRD. Am J Psychiatry. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27056608/
Related articles
- Insurance Coverage for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Canada
- PSHCP / Canada Life Spravato Coverage
- Alberta Blue Cross PAT Coverage
- Provincial Drug Plans for Psychedelic Therapy
- Ketamine Therapy in Edmonton — Edmonton landscape
- Ketamine Therapy in Calgary — Calgary landscape
- Ketamine Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression (deep dive)
- Ketamine Therapy Cost in Canada
Last updated: 2026-05-06