Canadians want and deserve a health care system that provides timely access to health services whenever and wherever they are needed. That is why the Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion over 10 years to support the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians plan.
This historic investment includes $25 billion for tailored bilateral agreements with provinces and territories, a guaranteed 5% Canada Health Transfer (CHT) increase for the next five years -- amounting to $17.2 billion -- and a one time CHT $2 billion top-up to address to urgent needs of emergency rooms and paediatric hospitals delivered in June 2023. Combined, these investments provide provinces and territories the flexibility to address the unique needs of their populations and geography, and accelerate health care system improvements.
Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Canada's Minister of Health, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), on behalf of the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Canada's Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, the Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Health of British Columbia, and the Honourable Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions of British Columbia, announced a bilateral agreement of more than $1.2 billion over the next three years, marking a crucial step in a 10-year plan for collaboration. This includes $325 million per year in new funding by the Government of Canada and continuing $82 million per year in previously-announced mental health and substance use funding, which will help accelerate efforts already underway in British Columbia to improve health care access and services.
Through this federal funding, British Columbia has a 3-year action plan to deliver improvements to its health care system by 2026, including:
- Developing an innovative model of care at 83 acute care sites throughout British Columbia so nurses can spend more time with patients. As well, by introducing additional recruitment and retention initiatives, patients across the province will have improved access to team-based family health care, including to family doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners, ultimately helping to reduce diagnostic and treatment backlogs;
- Enhancing access to mental health and addictions services by building on existing efforts in areas of integrated youth services, treatment and recovery, and innovative approaches to respond to the ongoing overdose crisis. British Columbia plans to expand the number of Foundry centers from 16 to 35 across the province, and reduce 30-day re-admissions for mental illness or substance use;
- Supporting efforts led by the First Nations Health Authority to increase the number of individuals and communities with access to culturally safer, trauma-informed, and culturally appropriate healing and treatment services, and mental health and substance use care;
- Improving outcomes by continuing to address backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and expand initiatives like Hospital at Home to help tackle wait times for inpatient services and decrease pressure on these services;
- Increasing the percentage of people in the province who have access to their own electronic health information to 75% to help people take control of their health; and
- Increasing the percentage of family health service providers that can securely share patient health information to 50%.
Progress on these initiatives and broader commitments will be measured against targets which British Columbia will publicly report on annually.
Through this new agreement, British Columbia will improve how health information is collected, shared, used and reported to Canadians; streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals; facilitate the mobility of key health professionals within Canada; and fulfill shared responsibilities to uphold the Canada Health Act to protect Canadians' access to health care that is based on need, not the ability to pay.
Recognizing the significant disparities in Indigenous health outcomes, the Government of Canada and of British Columbia also commit to meaningfully engage and work together with Indigenous partners to support improved access to quality and culturally appropriate health care services. All levels of government will approach health decisions in their respective jurisdictions through a lens that promotes respect and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
British Columbia and the federal government will continue working together to improve access to health services and deliver tangible results to all patients across the province, including responding to the needs of Indigenous and other underserved and disadvantaged populations.
