A stopgap extension of federal funding isn’t enough to avert a “looming fiscal cliff” for provinces and territories, health ministers warned Thursday, a day after Ottawa announced it would renew funding for critical health care services for a single year.
asserted
it → avert → year
“I would say that one-year extension of an existing 10-year (agreement) about to expire does not fill us with a lot of joy,” Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones said in Winnipeg, adding that the short-term renewal does not give health care organizations “the signal that they were hoping for.”
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they → say → that
Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel announced Wednesday that Ottawa would extend federal funding for mental health services, home and community care, and substance use services for an additional year.
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Ottawa → announce → year
The extra $1.2 billion tops up a 10-year funding commitment first announced by the Trudeau government in 2017, which was set to expire next March.
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which → top → 2017
“We are united to make sure that the federal government understands we need to have ... a partner at the federal level to make sure that as we roll out these programs, we are not going to have them cut, or have them disappear as a partner,” Jones said.
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Jones → unite → partner
Jones was speaking to reporters at the close of the first day of meetings with provincial and territorial health ministers.
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Jones → speak → ministers
Michel will join her counterparts on Friday, where Jones said discussions of longer-term funding will be a top priority.
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discussions → join → funding
The federal minister sent letters to provincial ministers early Wednesday evening alerting them of the extension.
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minister → send → extension
“On July 23rd, the Prime Minister and Premiers agreed to direct their health ministers and finance ministers to discuss long-term health care funding and productivity in the health sector.
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Minister → agree → sector
It is in that spirit of cooperative federalism that we continue our ongoing discussions,” a public statement from Michel read several hours later.
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statement → continue → Michel
Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara, who hosted Thursday’s meeting, told reporters that Ottawa’s decision was a good “first step,” but that outstanding funding issues remain.
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issues → host → reporters
“We’re still dealing with a fiscal cliff.
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We → deal → cliff
So, this has been moved down the road a bit, but it does create additional pressure,” Asagwara said.
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Asagwara → move → pressure
Those outstanding issues include questions about finalizing bilateral agreements with some provinces and territories and concerns about the Canada Health Transfer, which is set to see its guaranteed minimum annual growth rate fall from five per cent to three per cent in 2028.
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rate → include → 2028
The letter was silent on the remaining bilaterals.
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letter → remain → bilaterals
The letter was silent on the Canada Health Transfer, and didn’t outline a plan in terms of how quickly we can get back to talking about this and negotiating, which is pretty important.
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which → outline → this
So, tomorrow is very important,” Asagwara said.
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Asagwara → say → ?
Ottawa’s move is “welcome, but it’s not sufficient,” the head of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) told the Star on Thursday.
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head → ’ → Thursday
“There are ways that a lot of provinces and territories are making momentum in improving health,” said Dr. Bolu Ogunyemi.
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Ogunyemi → be → health
“But really, they need sustainable, long-term funding for this to happen.”
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this → need → funding
Jones told reporters that half of the 32 Youth Wellness Hubs in Ontario would shut down if federal funding were to dry up.
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funding → tell → Ontario
She also said a drop in funding could lead to lower productivity in Ontario amid a punishing trade war.
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drop → say → war
“If we were to see a decline or decrease in the federal funding, then we would have more caregivers who would have to leave their jobs and end up not being part of a productive society, and I think we all agree that as we are facing the tariffs and the uncertainty of what is happening coming from south of the border, we need to make sure that we are operating at 100 per cent,” Jones said.
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Jones → see → cent
Ogunyemi said the backbone of a strong economy is healthy Canadians.
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backbone → say → economy
“If we really want to have a healthy workforce, have Canada strong, it’s important that the health of Canadians is seen as a major priority and is seen as an investment,” Ogunyemi said.
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Ogunyemi → want → investment
“Not to the degree that we would like,” he said.
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he → like → that
“That message is something that we’re hoping becomes more clear (to) policymakers and in the budget.”
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we → hop → budget
In late September, provincial and territorial health and mental health ministers met to discuss the expiring funding, releasing a joint statement in which they warned that the lapsing money would result in “profound and negative impacts” on patients and health care workers if additional money was not secured.
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money → meet → patients
“If not renewed, this reduction in federal funding would be the most significant cut in health care funding in a generation and would erode critical services,” the statement read.
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statement → renew → services
The ministers also noted at the time that the Trudeau-era commitments had created “substantial workforce” benefits, employing thousands of Canadians across the country.
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commitments → note → country
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