Federal government to propose anticipated health-care funding plan at meeting with provinces, territories

At the much-anticipated meeting between the federal and the provincial, territorial governments scheduled to occur on Tuesday, Ottawa will reportedly propose a 10-year plan detailing the federal healthcare funding, according to media outlets.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will supposedly join the meeting Tuesday afternoon to detail the federal funding in a 2-hour long plan, which is said to include billions of dollars in healthcare funding.

The funding will reportedly be channelled through a national increase to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) as well as direct bespoke bilateral deals with every province and territory based on thier needs, according to media reports.

“I’m very much looking forward to sitting down with the premiers tomorrow…As I’ve said many times, we will be there putting more money on the table…There will be increases to the funding that we’re sending to the provinces for health care,” PM Trudeau stated about the meeting on Monday.

The Chair of the Council of the Federation as well as Manitoba Premier, Heather Stefanson, stated in a news conference on Monday, “It’s very difficult to make a comment on something that we haven’t seen…I would have like to have seen the proposal ahead of time, there’s no question … If we had had it ahead of time, we probably could have had a more fulsome discussion tomorrow”, adding that the permiers are advocating for a “long-term, sustainable funding model” from Ottawa.

“I think it’s just a ‘wait-and-see’ until tomorrow. I think everybody is optimistic that they’re going to table something that’s going to be strong,” said Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai similarly.

“It should not only be for 10 years but ultimately be wrapped into permanent funding, into the Canada Health Transfer, either today or eventually,” stated Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, advocating for a permament healthcare deal between the federal and the provincial governments.

“We’re hoping there will be a portion of it that will be a continuous program,” asserted New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, echoing similar sentiments.

“We know how to invest the money. We don’t need the federal government to tell us how to invest the money,” stated Quebec Premier François Legault.