Biography: Charles Payette

Charles Payette serves as Assistant Deputy Minister, Health, Well-Being and System Transformation, in the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services, Government of Alberta. In this role, he provides senior executive leadership across a portfolio spanning primary care policy, population health and wellness, and the large-scale transformation of Alberta’s health system, including the Province’s transition from Alberta Health Services to a renewed four-entity model.

Prior to his appointment to the Government of Alberta, Charles served as Senior Director, Strategic and Executive Services at Peel Regional Police, overseeing strategic planning, research, and intergovernmental affairs. Before that, he served as Executive Director to Chief Nish Duraiappah, building a reputation as a seasoned strategist with deep expertise in police governance, issues management, organisational transformation, and strategic management.

Before joining Peel Regional Police, Charles served as National Lead for the Policing and Public Safety sector at PwC Canada, where he built and led a national advisory practice guiding police services and public safety organisations through complex transformations, governance reforms, and community safety strategies.

Charles held senior advisory roles within the Ontario Public Service, including as Senior Advisor to the Solicitor General of Ontario, where he contributed to the review of the Ontario Police Services Act and supported the development of the provincial Guns and Gangs strategy. He also held a position within the Ministry of the Attorney General, deepening his understanding of the legislative and justice frameworks that underpin public safety in Canada. These formative years gave Charles a grounding in policy development and intergovernmental relations that has informed his leadership ever since.

Throughout a career spent at the intersection of government, policing, community safety and well-being and public policy, Charles has developed a leadership approach grounded in rigour, respect for institutions, and a genuine commitment to the people public services are meant to serve. He brings that same orientation to his work in Alberta, where he is focused on transforming a health system that is more responsive, more sustainable, and better equipped to meet the needs of Albertans for years to come.