Health minister concerned about system’s sustainability – CP

Source: The Canadian Press
Feb 7, 2017 

TORONTO _ Ontario’s health minister says he is concerned about the sustainability of the province’s health-care system, as both nurses and a business group raise worries today.

The Ontario Nurses’ Association says funding needs to be increased as registered nurse positions are cut from hospitals and attacks on nurses are rising.

Meanwhile, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce says a survey of its members found that just 14 per cent are confident in the sustainability of the system.

At a health-care announcement today, both Health Minister Eric Hoskins and Premier Kathleen Wynne turned answers on sustainability to the ongoing dispute with the federal government over health transfers.

The federal government has offered to increase the transfer payments by 3.5 per cent annually with additional money for home care and mental health, but many provinces including Ontario say that’s not enough.

Wynne says Ontario will continue to increase health-care funding every year, but the federal government needs to foot more of the bill.

INDEX: HEALTH ONTARIO POLITICS