Canada and Ontario health
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sault Business Matters has received the following media release from Sault member of parliament Terry Sheehan relative to the Government of Canada making investments in Ontario health care.
Canadians deserve a health care system that gets them access to health services when and where they need them, including in small towns and Northern communities. This is why the Government of Canada is investing $3.1 billion over three years to help enhance Ontario’s health care delivery system. This is part of a larger investment, negotiated with the provinces and territories to inject $200 billion into health systems across the country over the next ten years.
- Increasing the percentage of people in the province who have access to family health professionals to 91% by expanding current interprofessional family health teams and forming 18 new ones in communities with the greatest needs, such as vulnerable or marginalized communities. This will ensure better access to care for patients without a regular source of family health care;
- ncrease the number of family doctors, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses throughout the province
- Increasing the number of family physicians by 600, nurse practitioners by 600, and registered nurses by 3000 across the province to help increase the health workforce and reduce backlogs;
- Expanding enrollment in health care education programs by over 700 spots – including over 70 in the Northern Ontario School of Medicine
- Boosting surgeries, MRIs, CT scans, and cancer screenings across the health care system.
Improve online access to medical records and enhance health data systems
- Increasing the percentage of people in the province who have access to their own health information electronically to 40%, helping them take control of their health; and
- Increasing the percentage of health care professionals who can securely access and share patient health information electronically to 49%, improving the efficiency of Ontario’s health care system and increasing patient safety.
The agreement will also make it easier for Canadian and internationally trained doctors and health professionals to practise in Ontario, so they spend less time dealing with red tape and more time helping patients in need. This includes removing barriers to foreign credential recognition, simplifying licensing processes, and increasing program access for highly educated and skilled health professionals.
The deal requires the provincial government to modernize digital infrastructure, including information reporting, collection, sharing. By expanding the availability of electronic health information and increasing the number of health care professionals who can securely access and share this information, health care will be more convenient, connected, and patient-centred.
Mental health is also a central pillar of this important investment. Ontario will add five new Youth Wellness Hubs to the 22 that have opened since 2020, making it faster and easier for youth to connect to much needed mental health and substance use services in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. The Province will also continue to expand its Structured Psychotherapy Program, helping thousands more Ontarians get timely help for depression or anxiety through free cognitive behavioural therapy and other related supports. Both levels of government will also work with Indigenous Peoples to address gaps and systemic inequities in Indigenous health care services and improve access to culturally safe care.
While working to implement this new funding agreement, the federal government is also working with provinces and territories to implement a second bilateral agreement focused on helping Canadians age with dignity close to home, with access to home care or care in a safe long-term care facility.
QUOTES
“Our government is stepping up to help Ontarian families find care close to home, and I am glad that this deal was negotiated with the province specifically with the needs of Northern Ontario in mind. These dedicated resources will go towards helping communities like Sault Ste. Marie to attract and retain health care professionals such as doctors, nurses and PSWs to our region.”
– Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors
“Making sure everyone in Canada can get health care when they need it is a big promise and it’s something Canadians deserve. People are relying on all levels of government to work together and address the challenges in front of us. Reaching this agreement and action plan is a significant step in our collaboration with Ontario to take measurable action to improve our health care system. Together with all provinces and territories, we will continue working to achieve better health outcomes for everyone.”
– The Hon. Mark Holland, Minister of Health
QUICK FACTS
- This agreement reinforces Canada’s and Ontario’s commitment to protect Canadians’ access to health care based on need, not their ability to pay, as outlined in the Canada Health Act.
- Budget 2023 outlined the Government of Canada’s plan to invest over $200 billion over 10 years, including $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories, to improve health care for Canadians. Within this funding, $25 billion is allocated through tailored bilateral agreements with provinces and territories to address the unique needs of their populations and geography in four shared health priorities:
- expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
- supporting health workers and reducing backlogs;
- increasing mental health and substance use support; and
- modernizing health care systems with health data and digital tools.
- As part of bilateral agreements, provinces and territories are asked to develop action plans that outline how funds will be spent and how progress will be measured to demonstrate to Canadians that improvements are occurring in Canada’s health care system.
- In addition to tailored bilateral agreements, the federal government is supporting provinces and territories through:
- Guaranteed Canada Health Transfer (CHT) increases of at least 5 per cent from 2023-24 to 2027-28 (amounting to $17.5 billion over 10 years in additional funding through the CHT); and
- A one-time CHT $2 billion top-up to address the urgent needs of emergency rooms and paediatric hospitals, which was delivered in June 2023.
- The Foreign Credential Recognition Program works with provinces, territories, regulatory bodies, and other organizations by funding projects to support faster and more efficient credential recognition systems with the goal of growing Canada’s economy, creating quality employment, and promoting a more sustainable health workforce.
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