Premiers to Hold Meeting on Federal Health-Care Offer on Feb. 10

B.C. Premier David Eby answers a question as Canada's premiers hold a press conference following a meeting on health care in Ottawa on Feb. 7, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

The provincial and territorial premiers will meet on Feb. 10 to discuss the federal government’s offer to increase health-care funding to the provinces, which will come several days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented it.

“We’re having our meeting on Friday and I'd like to move quickly,” said Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey during an interview on CBC’s “Power & Politics” on Feb. 7.

Trudeau’s offer, which he presented on Feb. 7, would see over $196 billion going to the provinces and territories over the next 10 years to improve their respective health-care systems, but about three-quarters of that money had already been promised previously existing transfer formulas and deals.

The federal government’s offer also fell short of what the premiers had collectively been asking for—which was for the federal share of provincial health-care funding to be increased to 35 percent.

The premiers said Trudeau’s offer would only increase the federal share of health-care costs in the provinces and territories from 22 percent to 24 percent in 2024.

Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson, who acts as chair and spokesperson of the premiers’ group, said they were “a little disappointed” with the offer.

“It’s significantly less than we were looking for in terms of the baseline funding injection into the Canada Health Transfer,” she said.

B.C. Premier David Eby said the government’s proposal was “fiscally limited,” and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith echoed Stefanson’s remarks in a statement issued Feb. 7.

“[While the offer] is a start, overall this is significantly lower than the premiers anticipated,” Smith’s statement read.

However, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his province will “never refuse new funding.”

“What we see this as is a starting point. It’s a down payment on further discussions,” Ford said.

Other Responses

Meanwhile, on CBC’s “Power and Politics” news program, Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King, while speaking alongside Furey, that his province needs to receive money quickly to support its health-care system.

“I don’t think as premier of Prince Edward Island I would be in the position to say, ‘I don’t want this money from the federal government.’ I want it,” King said.

“Could I use more? Absolutely. Will we continue to try to lobby for more? Yes.”

King added that he’s ready to start discussing with Ottawa how quickly funding through bilateral agreements can be released to his provincial government.

Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the government’s offer but acknowledged that he would keep it in place if elected prime minister in the future.

“We regret that the prime minister broke the federal bank and wasted so much money that he now cannot come to the table and help relieve the suffering in our emergency rooms,” Poilievre said on Feb. 7.

The Canadian Press and Marnie Cathcart contributed to this report.