Final details released
Health-care pact worth $996 million over 10 years, including $288 million of new money
P.E.I.'s share of a new federal-provincial healthcare deal will add up to $996 million over 10 years – $288 million of which is new funding.
On Feb. 22, Premier Dennis King and provincial Health Minister Ernie Hudson met with federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. King says the province is now finalizing the particulars of the pact.
“We're working through the final details to come to what we would call an agreement in principle," King told reporters Feb. 22, at a late afternoon press briefing in Charlottetown.
The premier said he has told his health officials to “immediately” begin bilateral discussions with the federal government on the deal.
King's words echoed those of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, who met with LeBlanc and Duclos the same day. Higgs told reporters a deal would “come to fruition in early July” but would be incorporated in his province's budget for the coming year.
“We're hoping in the next day or so to announce a few provinces that have been amongst the first to reach these agreements in principle. And I think we'd all be shocked if Prince Edward Island wasn't in that first batch," LeBlanc said.
The deal follows two years of advocacy from provincial and territorial premiers who have called on the federal government to increase its share of health funding from 22 per cent to 35 per cent.
While the dollar amount presented by Ottawa is far less than what the premiers sought, both King and LeBlanc said the deal offers P.E.I. a higher share.
In addition to increases in the Canada Health Transfer each year, which are distributed to provinces based on their population size, P.E.I.'s deal will include $288 in bilateral funding.
“A base amount of money
“We’re working through the final details to come to what we would call an agreement in principle.” Premier Dennis King
in the bilateral agreements means that you'll benefit in a more significant way than if the money went only into a per-capita formula," LeBlanc said.
"Your province can't realize the economies of scale that some of the jurisdictions have."
P.E.I., like other provinces, has struggled with a shortage of physicians, nurses and other health workers.
On Feb. 22, Health P.E.I. CEO Michael Gardam told the Eastern Graphic newspaper the province has a health staff vacancy of 20 per cent.
More than 27,000 Islanders are listed on the province's health registry, although this number does not include thousands of other patients whose doctors have ceased to practice, left the province, retired or reduced patient loads in 2022.
IMPROVED OUTCOMES
Ottawa and the provinces agreed the increased health funding will be used to improve four key areas: expanding access to health services, including in rural areas; reducing backlogs and wait times, along with supporting health workers; improving mental health and addictions treatment and modernizing health care through expanded use of health data tools
The deal will require the P.E.I. government to present an action plan to the federal government detailing its plans to improve these areas and how progress will be measured.
The plan will be made public.
P.E.I. and Ottawa will also negotiate specific bilateral agreements on additional funding for mental health and addictions treatment, home care and long-term care.
These bilateral agreements will collectively be worth $40 million in funding over 10 years.
The deal does not include any provision that would restrict federal funding if P.E.I. did not improve the agreed-upon health outcomes.
The deal also does not require the P.E.I. government to implement improved standards for long-term care developed by the Health Standards Organization.
When asked if the federal government will use the funds to compel improvements, Duclos said he is confident the province will achieve the intended goals.
“In this particular province, there has been the will. And there continues to be a very clear will to help improve health outcomes and support workers in the process," Duclos said.
King said his government is “responsible to the taxpayers of P.E.I. It's their money that we're investing, and we're spending it to make lives better."