$1.3B health funding deal falls short: Hoffman

While welcoming a nearly $1.3-billion health care funding infusion from Ottawa, the province’s health minister said Friday it fell short of what they’d sought.

The $703.2 million in funding for home care and $586 million to be earmarked for mental health services over 10 years comes after months of wrangling as Alberta accepted a bilateral health funding deal with Ottawa, as did Quebec and Ontario on Friday.

“We were hoping to get the very best for the province of Alberta and we’re confident we landed on that today,” Health Minister Sarah Hoffman said in Calgary on Friday.

“It isn’t the 5.2 (per cent) we asked for, to be frank ... but I’m glad we’re getting an increase from the federal government.”

Hoffman said that amount would increase with any growth in Alberta’s economy, something she’s confident will happen as the recession softens.

She said it became clear holding out for a better offer became less realistic with other provinces coming to terms with Ottawa last year.