Health Ministers Committed To Improving Canada’s Health-Care Systems

Provincial and territorial health ministers are meeting again today, to discuss priority work they are leading to improve and transform Canada's health-care systems for Canadians.

BC Minister of Health Adrian Dix is chairing the meetings in Vancouver with the federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos.

“Health ministers discussed important issues, including their respective provincial and territorial action plans on addressing health human resource shortages and sharing innovative practices in mental-health and substance-use services,” said Dix. “My colleagues also talked about their government’s future priorities.”

The federal government has indicated it’s ready to increase funding for health care, but there’s been no timeline attached.

Dix says they've been looking for more money since the Liberals made the commitment in 2015.

The premiers, Dix included, are asking for health transfer payments from the federal government to go up to 35%, from the current 22%.

Provincial and territorial work will continue to improve care for Canadians. Ministers support the call of premiers for First Ministers’ to work towards a new and sustainable funding partnership Canadians expect and deserve.

The meeting concluded the Province of British Columbia’s term as chair of the health minister’s council and the Province of Prince Edward Island will assume leadership in the coming months. The ministers thanked B.C. for its leadership role and congratulated P.E.I. as incoming chair of the provincial and territorial health table.