It’s a long way short of what Canada’s premier had called for, but Saskatchewan’s Premier Scott Moe says he won’t oppose a 2 percent increase in state health spending because “it’s all necessary.”
Moe met with reporters in Regina Monday morning ahead of a scheduled virtual meeting with his chief ministers to discuss last week’s federal health spending plan for the provinces and territories.
“It’s a two percent increase, and I don’t think anyone — at least in Saskatchewan — is considering moving away from expanding the healthcare space. Everything is necessary.”
On Monday afternoon, Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson — the current chair of the Council of the Federation, the group representing Canada’s prime minister — told CBC News Network Power & Politics that the Prime Ministers were “united” in their decision to accept Ottawa’s proposal.
However, Stefanson warned that the cash injection is not a long-term solution.
Moe said Monday the provincial and federal governments have shared priorities and said the money would be used in part to reduce wait times for surgeries and open access to ensure people have a primary health care provider.
Saskatchewan will use federal healthcare funds to “accelerate” and “expand” initiatives already underway, including reducing wait times for surgeries and hiring more healthcare workers, Moe said.
He said he hopes fresh money will be available in time for the upcoming 2023-24 provincial budget.
Premiers had asked Ottawa to increase Canadian health transfers from 22 percent to 35 percent, or an additional $28 billion a year.
The new funding agreement announced last week will bring the total federal share of provincial and territorial health transfers to $54 billion in 2023-24.
Saskatchewan would receive nearly $6.2 billion of the $196 billion pledged from the federal government over 10 years.
About $5.9 billion would be provided through the federal transfer, with the remainder through bilateral agreements in the areas of mental health and substance abuse, home care and long-term care.
The opposition is calling for the health networks to be restored
On Monday, opposition NDP health critics Vicki Mowat and Matt Love called on the provincial government to reintroduce community health advisory networks.
The networks existed until the 13 health regions merged to form the Saskatchewan Health Authority in 2017.
According to Mowat, the facilities lack medical staff and many people do not have access to basic services.
“It is clear that merging health regions and centralizing health care decisions has failed to provide reliable, quality care to people who need it. Local people and community leaders know what their communities need – it’s time to bring those voices back to life on the table,” Mowat said.
The opposition cited a 2020 resolution by the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association calling on the Secretary of Health to “ensure direct community contribution and participation in the health system by calling for the establishment of Community Health Advisory Networks across the province.” .
Mowat and Love have been touring the province for the past few days to discuss health care. On Monday they spoke to reporters outside an emergency clinic in Warman.
Mowat said local leaders felt “left out” in decision-making on health issues.
