Agreements will enhance wages for personal support workers, and improve access to and affordability of drugs for rare diseases
Canadians deserve a health care system that provides timely access to quality health services and medications, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay. The Government of Canada recognizes that concerted and collaborative efforts by federal, provincial, and territorial governments are needed to improve health care for Canadians, including through better supporting health workers and ensuring access to medications for all.
That is why today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Canada's Minister of Health, and the Honourable Adrian Dix, British Columbia's (BC) Minister of Health, announced a $426 million federal investment as part of two bilateral agreements to support the health of people in BC.
Through the Aging with Dignity Agreement to support Personal Support Workers (PSW), or Health Care Assistants (HCAs) as they are known in BC, the Government of Canada will provide new funding of more than $232 million to be invested over the next five years to help BC support compensation for nearly 13,000 HCA full-time equivalents working in publicly-funded long-term care and assisted living facilities. This is an amendment to the Agreement, announced in February 2024. HCAs have long provided essential supports for Canadians to live and age with dignity. This was especially demonstrated through their dedication working on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this partnership, BC will be able to improve recruitment and retention, by ensuring these workers have better wages and benefits.
In addition, through the Agreement to support drugs for rare diseases (DRD), the Government of Canada will provide $194 million to improve access to drugs for rare diseases, early diagnosis, and screening, starting with the funding to support the province in providing access of two drugs under the National Strategy for Rare Diseases.
In Canada, 1 in 12 people live with a rare disease. While there are thousands of rare diseases, unfortunately treatments are only available for a small percentage of these conditions. And, for most people suffering, the cost of these treatments puts them out of reach.
Today, the Ministers announced that Poteligeo, for the treatment of mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome, and Oxlumo, for the treatment of hyperoxaluria type 1, will be made available to residents of BC. These two drugs are the first drugs to be announced from the common list of new drugs that has been in development over the last year with provinces and territories.
The names of other drugs on the common list will be published online on a drug-by-drug basis as the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance concludes its price negotiations for each drug. In addition, BC is committing through this agreement to work with Canada and other provinces and territories on developing and implementing a plan for improving screening and diagnostics for rare diseases.
The Government of Canada remains committed to working with provinces and territories to improve health care for all Canadians, including access to affordable prescription medications, and to achieve better health outcomes for everyone.
