An increase to provincial health care funding is being support by North Coast MLA, Jennifer Rice.
Rice said Premier John Horgan has been a leader among premiers across Canada in taking the initiative to call on the federal government to increase investment in the sector.
“Health care needs are different in every part of our province and country, yet we are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the best care possible,” Rice said. “By leading these discussions with Ottawa to increase the Health Transfer, I’m proud to see Premier Horgan working hard to address the unique challenges faced by rural and Northern communities.”
The Canada Health Transfer is the largest payment to provinces and territories from the federal government that is invested into health care.
A funding increase from the federal government would help support health care in priority areas, including long-term care, mental health and addictions care as well as access to primary care, Rice said.
On Feb. 4, Horgan, as chair of the Council of the Federation, hosted a virtual meeting of the nation’s premiers to discuss the funding shortfalls facing health care systems.
“All premiers are united in calling on the federal government to increase its share of provincial-territorial health care costs through the Canada Health Transfer to 35 per cent,” a BC NDP press release stated.
Canada Health Transfer transfer payments are allocated on an equal per capita cash basis only. For the 2022 to 23 transfer payment, B.C. received $6.1 billion from the federal government.
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Norman Galimski | Journalist
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