Saskatchewan, Ottawa reach health funding deal despite province’s concerns – CP

Source: The Canadian Press
Jan 17, 2017

REGINA _ The federal and Saskatchewan governments have struck a health- funding deal despite the province’s concerns about the amount of money and Ottawa dictating how it’s spent.

The deal is for an additional $348.8 million over 10 years for investments in home and mental-health care.

The federal government says it’s expected that mental health services for children and youth will be improved and that the number of patients in hospital who could be better cared for at home or in the community will be reduced.

Late last year, provincial and territorial governments walked away from a federal offer to increase health transfer payments by 3.5 per cent annually and for $11.5 billion in targeted funding over 10 years for mental-health and home care.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said the provinces were hoping to pressure Ottawa into increasing the annual health transfer at a rate of at least 5.2 per cent each year.

The deal holds the health transfer increase to either three per cent or the three-year moving average of nominal GDP growth _ whichever is higher.

INDEX: HEALTH NATIONAL POLITICS