Public health care advocates support targeted federal spending boosts for provinces
Public health advocates are calling for federal health care dollars for the provinces and territories to come with strings attached, countering the demands for more unconditional federal dollars from provincial and territorial leaders.
“Of course, governments need to spend more on our overstretched system,” said Canadian Health Coalition chairperson Pauline Worsfold, RN. “And we need to ensure any increases to the Canada Health Transfer provide measurable improvements and accountability in public health care for people in Canada.”
Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders will meet on Friday, and winning an increase to federal funding through the Canada Health Transfer is at the top of their agenda. But they have resisted any strings being attached to more dollars.
“Canada’s unions will keep pushing for new investments to be tied to achieving real improvement to our public health care systems,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, a member of the Canadian Health Coalition.
“The simple reality is, handing out blank cheques to Conservative premiers won’t fix nursing shortages, repair long-term care, provide better mental health services or implement pharmacare,” said Bruske.
A 2021 study by the Commonwealth Fund compared the health systems of 11 high-income countries and found Canada had the worst performing health care system for dollars spent, save for the United States.
