By Canadian Press

Canada’s premiers disappointed in lack of federal funds for struggling health systems

Apr 8, 2022 | 3:04 PM

OTTAWA — Canada’s premiers say they’re disappointed the federal government didn’t put forward a sustainable plan to financially shore up the country’s ailing health systems in its newly tabled budget. 

Premiers have been calling for the health minister to negotiate a new deal for how much the federal government will pay into health care in Canada, with an immediate increase of about $28 billion. 

The federal budget included $12 billion more than expected over five years for provincial health transfers, but only because the economic outlook is better than expected.

The government also pledged $2 billion in one-time funding to help health systems work through the massive surgical backlogs that accumulated during the pandemic. 

In a statement today, the premiers say one-time or short-term spending cannot address the long-term challenges facing Canadians’ health care systems.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he knows the federal government needs to invest structurally in health care, but he wants to make sure it gets the best results.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2022.

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press