Canada’s premiers have renewed calls for an increase in federal health care transfer payments.
British Columbia Premier John Horgan serves as chair of the Council of the Federation, which comprises all 13 provincial and territorial premiers.
“Of course, the global pandemic has tested us all. It has strained our public health care systems right across the country,” Horgan said at a virtual news conference on Friday.
“All 13 premiers agree we need a significant long-term increase in funding from the federal government to meet the challenges of coming out of the pandemic and ensuring that the services that people expect and deserve in Canada are uniformed from coast to coast to coast.”
Federal funding has been eroded over the last 50 years, now only covering about 22 per cent of the total funds needed to provide services in some jurisdictions, said Horgan.
Premiers are looking for a First Ministers meeting to ensure a boost in these transfers will cover 35 per cent of provincial-territorial health care costs.
“Through the pandemic, the federal government has been an outstanding partner, ensuring that we’re supporting businesses, workers and communities so we can all weather COVID-19, and now provinces and territories are coming together once again to call on the federal government to join with us and renew the partnership for public health care in Canada,” Horgan remarked.
Larger health transfers would be expected to improve services, wait times, human resources in the health care system. Additionally, Horgan said this would ensure they can provide high-quality diagnostics to address diseases like COVID-19 and cancer.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not made a statement on the Council of the Federation’s latest announcement.
