Canada's Premiers Launch Awareness Campaign on Health Care Funding

OTTAWA, ON, March 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Canada's Premiers today launched an online awareness campaign to inform Canadians about the urgent need for long-term, flexible federal funding for health care.

"Health care is about people. We must ensure our health care systems can provide the services Canadians need, when they need them," said British Columbia Premier John Horgan, Chair of the Council of the Federation. "Increased, predictable and sustainable federal funding will make a tangible difference in people's lives. The problems Canadians experienced in accessing health care services during the pandemic have highlighted strains in our health systems that will continue unless the federal government increases its investment."

The Canada Health Transfer (CHT) is the most effective mechanism for the federal government to support significant improvements to health services for all Canadians while enabling provinces and territories to address their diverse needs and priorities.

Recent polling shows that 85% of Canadians believe that the federal government should make increasing support for health care to provinces and territories a priority for the 2022 federal budget.

For the last two years, Premiers have consistently called on the federal government to increase its share of provincial-territorial health care costs through the CHT from 22% to 35% and to maintain it at this level over time. They reiterate their invitation to the Prime Minister to begin negotiations without further delay so that a First Ministers' Agreement on Sustainable Health Care Funding can be finalized as soon as possible.

The Council of the Federation comprises all 13 provincial and territorial Premiers. It enables Premiers to work collaboratively, form closer ties, foster constructive relationships among governments, and show leadership on important issues that matter to Canadians.

SOURCE Canada's Premiers

Lindsay Byers, Press Secretary and Deputy Communications Director, Office of the Premier, Government of British Columbia, [phone], [email protected]