B.C. premier meets with Ottawa to discuss health-care funding agreement
New agreement will support more health workers, family health services and modernizing the health-care system
Premier David Eby and two federal ministers held talks on Tuesday focused on reaching bilateral agreements on health-care issues in British Columbia.
While nothing was finalized, Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says he expects British Columbia and Ottawa to soon reach a flexible one-on-one agreement that improves health services for people needing care and those who provide that service.
On Monday, Eby, along with the rest of Canada's premiers, accepted the federal government's offer of $46.2 billion in additional funds over the next decade, ending a months-long negotiation standoff.
Eby says Ottawa's increased health-care funding is a step in the right direction after years of provincial health budgets being squeezed.
Talks in Victoria Tuesday focused on reaching side agreements between the B.C. and federal governments on supports for families, front-line workers and those seeking mental health and addictions assistance, and modernizing the work environment for health professionals, Jean-Yves Duclos said.
"It's a great opportunity to be here together, but there's a lot more work to do,'' said Duclos after he and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc met with Eby.
$600M/year over the next decade
B.C. expects to receive an average of $600 million a year over the next decade for health funding from the federal government.
Eby said the bilateral discussions underway between B.C. and the federal government are about where the province will allocate funding, with relieving pressure on hospitals being a major part of the talks.
"We haven't predetermined any areas but we're broadly supportive of the bucket the federal government has set out around mental health and addictions, around home care, around long-term care,'' Eby said.
"Things that will relieve pressure on our hospitals.''
Ottawa plans to meet with each province and territory to sign unique and tailor-made agreements.
Eby is also optimistic B.C. will be able to work with the federal government to improve immigration pathways and national accreditation for health-care workers.
Funding 4 key health-care areas
Ottawa's health-care funding plan includes a top-up to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) and new funding in four key areas:
- Family health services.
- Health-care workers.
- Mental health and substance use.
- Modernizing the health-care system.
The plan includes a five per cent annual hike to the CHT over the next five years before reverting to a three per cent annual increase.
In return, Ottawa asked provinces and territories to commit to improving the collection and sharing of health data to promote transparency on results and help manage public health emergencies.
During the talks, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Flemming also joned Eby and the two federal ministers to discuss how the federal government can also support B.C. with future infrastructure projects like the Massey Tunnel, the Iona Water Treatment Facility and the Belleville Terminal.
With files from Darren Major and the Canadian Press