Premiers call for more health-care money at B.C. summit
Funding boost would require federal government to kick in an extra $27.6 billion per year to provinces and territories
From left, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey, Yukon Premier Sandy Silver and Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok at the news conference concluding the 2022 summer meeting of Canada’s premiers, where they discussed sustainable health care and affordability. (Screenshot via CPAC’s livestream of closing statements)
Canada’s premiers want more money for health care, and have come together to make a public call for it.
The country’s 13 provincial and territorial leaders, who collectively make up the Council of the Federation, gathered in Victoria, B.C., on Monday and Tuesday for their twice-annual meeting.
They’ve collectively requested the federal government increase its share of provincial-territorial health-care costs to 35 per cent, from 22 per cent, through the Canada Health Transfer.
The Canada Health Transfer is the largest federal transfer to provinces and territories and provides long-term funding for health care across the country.
The funding boost would require an extra $27.6 billion, according to a February 2021 report from the country’s provincial and territorial finance ministers.
This would increase health-care spending in provinces and territories to $69.5 billion, from $41.9 billion.
“Resolving this structural funding shortfall would allow provinces and territories to address their diverse needs and accelerate progress in delivering better access to care for Canadians,” the premiers said in a release July 12.
Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok was not available Thursday to comment on how he hopes the requested funding boost could help the territory.
Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos was asked about the request while in St. John’s, N.L., for a funding announcement this week, reported CBC News.
Duclos said the Trudeau government is willing to increase its investment in health care, but the focus should be on results.
“There needs to be a discussion on dollars, but more importantly, there needs to be a discussion on the type of resources and outcomes that we want to see working together,” Duclos said.
The premiers also discussed other affordability issues and post-COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery at the meeting.
“These are challenging times for Canadians, marked by critical environmental, economic and security concerns. All of this affects the cost of living,” the premiers said in another news release July 12.
“Provinces and territories are taking action, delivering the health care, skills training, settlement services, climate action, and resource development that are critical to Canada’s future.”
Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine came up as well, with the premiers coming together to ask the federal government to boost spending that supports sovereignty in the North.
“Federal investments dedicated to defending the Arctic should be informed by provincial and territorial priorities as well as the needs and interests of Northerners,” they said.
“This includes support to turn the North’s resource and trade potential into shared wealth and prosperity, while investing in the people and their communities.”
Nunavut will get side effects instead of housing improvements.
Why do you think it is the responsibility of government to “improve your house”?
That increase in billions is more than enough to fix the Nunavut housing crisis and you don’t seem to understand how important housing is for human health care and well being.
Weird Flex- To answer your question. NHC is an crown corporation under the GN, same goes for NAC and QEC.
How strange… I was sure this was a story about health care funding.
It’s Nunavut with a Nunavut housing crisis. Nurses get over paid just giving out Tylenol. I’m sure this was a story about government corruption like police corruption. NHC stands for Nunavut housing corruption now. People want me to get a house so I can shut up about it. The taxes we pay the government is responsible for improvements we need but gov workers are stealing it then and now. I can talk like this all day everyday.
Throw money at this, throw money at that, that’s how things work in Nunavut. One day, if we throw enough money at the health care system, we will have world class health care and magic beanstalks will grow in abundance.
Funny how the Premier mentioned the cost of living being affected by the pandemic, when over half the territory collects welfare and gets free rent. ?