Role at a Glance
Temporary 0.80 FTE part-time position at Carewest's Signal Pointe complex care facility in Calgary. Days shift, 0800–1615. Hourly pay $40.81–$54.34 under the HSAA collective agreement. Active ATRA registration and a recognized Bachelor's in Recreation Therapy or a related field are firm requirements. Application closes July 31, 2026; term ends December 31, 2026.
About the Role
Carewest's Signal Pointe facility is filling a temporary part-time vacancy on its interprofessional complex care team. The Recreation Therapist I will evaluate clients' leisure and psycho-social needs, build individualized treatment plans, and deliver therapeutic programs spanning functional skill-building, leisure education, and active recreation participation. The role also carries a mentoring dimension — guiding volunteers, students, and paraprofessional staff in day-to-day recreation operations — and requires consistent alignment with Alberta Therapeutic Recreation Association practice standards. The position runs through December 31, 2026 and reports to the Director of Care.
About Carewest
Carewest is one of Alberta's largest publicly operated healthcare providers, with a specialty focus on complex continuing care, rehabilitation, recovery services, and community programs for seniors and individuals who require specialized support. Its network spans 13 Calgary locations, staffed by a team exceeding 3,000 employees across clinical, allied health, and support disciplines. Signal Pointe's long-term care program serves frail older adults in both secured and unsecured units, using an interdisciplinary team model aimed at preserving and improving quality of life. Carewest is an equal opportunity employer with a stated commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.
What You'll Do
- Conduct structured assessments of each client's recreation and leisure functioning to surface psycho-social needs and inform care planning
- Develop, document, and iterate individualized therapeutic recreation treatment plans
- Plan and lead therapeutic programs across three domains: functional intervention, leisure education, and active recreation participation
- Coordinate activities and services so they align with residents' care goals within the complex care framework
- Orient, supervise, and evaluate support staff, students, and volunteers involved in recreation programming
- Maintain professional and ethical practice standards consistent with ATRA guidelines and Carewest's Philosophy of Care
- Adhere to applicable privacy legislation (HIA, ATIA, POPA) and employer data governance requirements
- Carry out additional duties within the recreation therapy scope as directed
Must-Have Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree from a recognized program in Recreation Therapy, Leisure Studies, Recreation Administration, or a closely related field
- Current, active registration with the Alberta Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA)
- Valid Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider CPR certification
- Satisfactory police records check and vulnerable sector screening (required for candidates not currently employed by Carewest)
- Immunization records may be required depending on the specific care environment assigned
- Commitment to using employer-provided technologies and adhering to Carewest's privacy and information management standards
Nice to Have
- Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) designation
- Three or more years of hands-on recreation therapy practice
- Experience applying a diverse range of RT interventions across varied client populations
Skills Snapshot: Must vs. Nice to Have
This Therapist I designation is the entry tier in Carewest's recreation therapy career ladder, but the day-to-day scope demands independent clinical judgment — you will own client assessments and treatment plans without a senior therapist co-signing every decision. Hard-requirement skills center on credentials and compliance: a recognized degree, active ATRA membership, and current CPR certification. The CTRS designation and multi-year field experience are genuine differentiators at the hiring stage but will not exclude otherwise-qualified applicants. Comfort with interdisciplinary team workflows and proficiency in clinical documentation are implicit expectations throughout the role.
Pay and Hours
Carewest has disclosed a pay band of $40.81–$54.34 per hour for this position. The role sits under the HSAA (Health Sciences Association of Alberta) collective agreement. With the stated 0.80 FTE and 62 scheduled hours per pay period, gross bi-weekly earnings work out to approximately $2,530 at the band floor and $3,369 at the ceiling — figures derived directly from the posted rate and FTE, not independently verified. Step placement within the band is typically governed by the applicable collective agreement. No additional benefits are itemized in this posting; refer to the HSAA collective agreement for the full compensation picture.
Location and Work Arrangement
This is a fully on-site position based at Carewest's Signal Pointe facility in Calgary, AB, within the Recreation Complex of the Long-Term Care BW wing. No remote or hybrid arrangement is available in this clinical setting. No visa sponsorship information is disclosed in the posting. Candidates new to Carewest must complete background screening — a police records check and vulnerable sector review — before a confirmed start date.