Funding holds steady

Saskatchewan’s 2020 budget estimates include the biggest funding increase for the provincial health authority in its short history — though the source of revenues to support that is unclear.

The 2020-2021 budget estimates, which were released without revenues because of the ongoing economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, gives $3.74 billion to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, a 3.9-per-cent increase from the previous year and a record amount of funding for the organization since it was formed from the former health regions in 2017.

AMONG THE KEY TAKEAWAY S :

■ Funding for the Saskatchewan Health Authority is rising 3.9 per cent, or more than $140.6 million.

■ The government spent more than $123 million more on health services than it estimated in the last budget.

■ Estimated funding for health is up $211 million, for a grand total of $5.76 billion.

■ It does not include a significant increase in maintenance funds for existing health facilities.

The budget comes when health care is top of mind for many people in the province, both in light of the COVID -19 pandemic and frequent concerns about overloaded emergency rooms, old infrastructure and accusations of understaffing in the province’s largest hospitals.

“This is an unprecedented and challenging time in our province, our country and the world,” Finance Minister Donna Harpauer said on Wednesday. “It is particularly important our health care funding flows and our infrastructure investment is in place to help our economy.”

The 2019-20 forecast indicates the government spent more than $123 million more than it planned last year. This year, the budget estimate rose $211 million to $5.77 billion, making the health system once again the biggest chunk of provincial spending.

NDP health critic Vicki Mowat notes the budget is incomplete, since this year’s totals only include spending estimates and no revenues. That makes her take the increase in heath care spending with a pinch of salt. “I think they would have liked for it to be an election budget, but with the oil crash they just couldn’t do it,” Mowat said.

Of the new $140.6 million in funding for the SHA, roughly $78 million will go toward base operating costs.

The authority’s budget for its targeted programs and services will grow by nearly 60 per cent to more than $153 million. Those projects include $15 million to update the SHA’S information system and funds to support mental health services. The rest is somewhat flexible and vague, though it will likely go toward projects like reducing surgical wait times.

Local projects include nearly $8 million for 36 new emergency room beds at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, which was announced right after an SHA report illustrated problems of overcrowding in the province’s biggest ERS.

NEW PROJECTS, OLD BUILDINGS

On the infrastructure side, the budget promises $142 million in new capital funding, more than was projected in the 2018-19 Saskatchewan Builds Capital Plan. That includes:

$15 million for planning, designing

■ and beginning procurement for the expansion of Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital, a $300 million project announced by the government earlier this year;

An additional $15.7 million

■ toward construction of a longterm care facility in Meadow Lake, which received $12 million in last year’s budget;

$13.9 million for an electrical

■ renewal at both of Regina’s major hospitals;

Ongoing planning and scoping for

■ hospitals in Weyburn and Yorkton;

$3.6 million for improving

■ ehealth infrastructure.

What the budget does not contain is a significant increase in funding for building maintenance.