Alanna Smith - The Globe and Mail

Alanna Smith

StaffReporterHealth reporterCalgary

alannasmith@globeandmail.com

Alanna Smith is a national health reporter with The Globe and Mail with a special interest on the intersection of health and politics, particularly in Western Canada. Her work focuses on infectious diseases, hospitals and long-term care facilities, health equity, mental health and drug policy.

Before joining The Globe in 2022, Alanna reported for various outlets, including The Canadian Press and The Calgary Herald. Her reporting has been recognized by the National Newspaper Awards and World Press Freedom Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism and Women and Gender Studies from Carleton University in Ottawa.

Alanna is based in Calgary.

Honours & Awards

National Newspaper Awards winner, Sustained News Coverage (team), 2025

National Newspaper Awards winner, Investigations (team), 2025

National Newspaper Awards finalist, Project of the Year (team), 2025

World Press Freedom certificate of merit, Press Freedom Award (team), 2025

Digital Publishing Awards finalist, Best News Coverage (team), 2024

National Newspaper Awards finalist, Breaking News (team), 2024

National Newspaper Awards finalist, Beat Reporting, 2019

Alanna Smith abides by The Globe and Mail Editorial Code of Conduct

Latest articles

June 8, 2026

Registered nurses Ruth Heeran, left, and Clayton Wilbur don personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Special Pathogens Fundamentals course at Toronto Western Hospital in Toronto, on Monday.

Registered nurses Ruth Heeran, left, and Clayton Wilbur don personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Special Pathogens Fundamentals course at Toronto Western Hospital in Toronto, on Monday.

Inside the Toronto hospital unit responsible for treating rare infectious diseases

4 min read

May 23, 2026

Rana and Joseph Vaccaro with daughter Lucia 5 years old at home May 21, 2026 in Ottawa. Lucia has Rett's syndrome. Dave Chan/The Globe and Mail

Rana and Joseph Vaccaro with daughter Lucia 5 years old at home May 21, 2026 in Ottawa. Lucia has Rett's syndrome. Dave Chan/The Globe and Mail

Ontario girl with Rett Syndrome denied access to promising gene therapy trial, parents say

5 min read

May 22, 2026

Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Joss Reimer, answers a reporters question as she provides an updates about the Andes Hantavirus and actions taken by the Government of Canada during a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Thursday, May 14, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Joss Reimer, answers a reporters question as she provides an updates about the Andes Hantavirus and actions taken by the Government of Canada during a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Thursday, May 14, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Canada introduces enhanced border-screening measures as Ebola outbreak spreads

3 min read

May 22, 2026

In this March 24, 2017 photo, a tick is displayed in Plainville, Mass. The prevalence of tiny crawling bugs that can carry Lyme disease is higher than ever in most of Canada this year, a leading tick researcher says, with the most ticks found in Ontario and Nova Scotia. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Connors/The Sun Chronicle via AP

In this March 24, 2017 photo, a tick is displayed in Plainville, Mass. The prevalence of tiny crawling bugs that can carry Lyme disease is higher than ever in most of Canada this year, a leading tick researcher says, with the most ticks found in Ontario and Nova Scotia. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Connors/The Sun Chronicle via AP

Tick season is here. How can you protect yourself?

4 min read

May 15, 2026

A cyclist rides across the new crosswalk at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

A cyclist rides across the new crosswalk at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Alberta investigating death of man who waited six hours in Edmonton ER

3 min read

May 14, 2026

Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Joss Reimer, says efforts are under way to contact 26 Canadians who were on flights with a known hantavirus case.

Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Joss Reimer, says efforts are under way to contact 26 Canadians who were on flights with a known hantavirus case.

Officials working to contact 26 ‘low-risk’ passengers about hantavirus, top doctor says

3 min read

May 12, 2026

Spanish medical staff in Tenerife, Canary Islands, accompany one of the final remaining passengers to be evacuated from the MV Hondius, which was affected by a hantavirus outbreak, May 11.

Spanish medical staff in Tenerife, Canary Islands, accompany one of the final remaining passengers to be evacuated from the MV Hondius, which was affected by a hantavirus outbreak, May 11.

Canadians should not be worried about hantavirus, epidemiologist says

4 min read

May 11, 2026

A Chrono Aviation Boeing 737 takes off from the Bagotville airport in Saguenay, Que. on May 10.

A Chrono Aviation Boeing 737 takes off from the Bagotville airport in Saguenay, Que. on May 10.

Canadians evacuated from hantavirus-stricken cruise ship had no known direct contact with sick passengers: B.C. health officer

3 min read

May 11, 2026

Why are drug deaths rising in Edmonton, but falling elsewhere?

May 11, 2026

Pharmacists in Manitoba are now able to administer the measles vaccine. A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic at Southwestern Public Health in St. Thomas, Ont. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins

Pharmacists in Manitoba are now able to administer the measles vaccine. A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic at Southwestern Public Health in St. Thomas, Ont. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins

Six months after loss of measles elimination status, Canada nowhere close to stamping out the virus

4 min read

May 8, 2026

Passengers on the the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship, MV Hondius, watch epidemiologists board the boat in Praia, during their voyage to Spain's port of Tenerife, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo)

Passengers on the the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship, MV Hondius, watch epidemiologists board the boat in Praia, during their voyage to Spain's port of Tenerife, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo)

Six Canadians now isolating at home after exposure to hantavirus

3 min read

May 7, 2026

Calgary police patrol the streets near the cities drug safe injection site in Calgary, Alberta, February 21, 2019. The Globe and Mail/Todd Korol

Calgary police patrol the streets near the cities drug safe injection site in Calgary, Alberta, February 21, 2019. The Globe and Mail/Todd Korol

Opioid overdose survivors face higher death risk after hospital release than previously thought, study says

3 min read

May 5, 2026

The emergency department at UHN’s Toronto Western Hospital.
March 26, 2024
(Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail)

The emergency department at UHN’s Toronto Western Hospital.
March 26, 2024
(Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail)

Ontario to lower colorectal cancer screening age to 45 in July

4 min read

May 5, 2026

Drug-overdose deaths are falling across Canada. Why is Edmonton an exception?

8 min read

May 5, 2026

The emergency entrance of the Northern Lights regional health centre in Fort McMurray, Alta., on April 14.

The emergency entrance of the Northern Lights regional health centre in Fort McMurray, Alta., on April 14.

Public-private health care model coming to Alberta breaches Canada Health Act, legal expert argues

4 min read

April 2, 2026

Travis Peddie outside the shut down safe injection site in Calgary, Alberta April 2, 2026. Todd Korol/The Globe and Mail

Travis Peddie outside the shut down safe injection site in Calgary, Alberta April 2, 2026. Todd Korol/The Globe and Mail

Alberta man launches legal action against province over closings of Calgary, Lethbridge drug-use sites

4 min read

April 1, 2026

People enter Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., on March 26, 2026 (Jennifer Gauthier/The Globe and Mail)

People enter Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., on March 26, 2026 (Jennifer Gauthier/The Globe and Mail)

B.C.’s move away from self-regulation for health professionals was overdue, expert says

3 min read

March 31, 2026

People enter Vancouver General Hospital on March 26.

People enter Vancouver General Hospital on March 26.

B.C. Health Minister defends overhaul of regulatory system, says it will protect patients

4 min read

March 30, 2026

A woman walks past a a mural of healthcare workers outside of Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., on March 26, 2026 (Jennifer Gauthier/The Globe and Mail)

A woman walks past a a mural of healthcare workers outside of Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., on March 26, 2026 (Jennifer Gauthier/The Globe and Mail)

B.C.’s overhaul of health care professional regulation may continue to evolve, minister says

3 min read

March 29, 2026

A healthcare worker walk past the emergency bay outside of Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., on March 26, 2026 (Jennifer Gauthier/The Globe and Mail)

A healthcare worker walk past the emergency bay outside of Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., on March 26, 2026 (Jennifer Gauthier/The Globe and Mail)

Providers, opposition criticize coming B.C. law that changes how health professionals are regulated

3 min read