Michael Bell Archives The Canadian Press Minister Paul Merriman says this is a positive step and will help build a stronger and more resilient health care system that will work for all residents of the province.
Saskatchewan becomes the eighth province to reach a bilateral agreement with Ottawa on health care funding.
The federal government announced Wednesday morning that it has reached an agreement in principle with Saskatchewan to investing nearly $6 billion in the province's health care system over the next 10 years.
The agreement provides $1.11 billion for a new bilateral agreement “focused on shared health care priorities”.
It also provides a one-time, one-time payment of $61 million to address “urgent needs”, particularly in children's hospitals and emergency rooms, as well as long wait times for surgeries.
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“This agreement in principle with the federal government is a major step in improving and accelerating the work already begun,” Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman said in a joint statement Wednesday.
The provincial government says this funding will be used to accelerate or improve new measures underway to increase access to front-line health care, surgery, and mental health and addictions services.
Minister Merriman says this is a positive step and will help build a stronger, more resilient health care system that will work for all residents of the province.
“Saskatchewan is continuing to make major investments in the health system to address priority issues such as reducing surgery delays and wait times, while improving access to mental health services,” said Minister .
Caregiver mobility
These bilateral agreements with each of the provinces are the first step in the comprehensive offer of federal health care funding of $196 billion over 10 years that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented to the premiers of the provinces and territories on last month in Ottawa.
Ottawa has so far entered into bilateral agreements with Ontario, four Atlantic provinces, Manitoba, Alberta and now Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe previously indicated that this offer was far less than what the provinces were asking for, but none were in a position to refuse it.
As part of Under this new bilateral agreement, Ottawa is also committed to working with Saskatchewan to simplify credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals and “support the mobility of key health professionals”.
Saskatchewan has also agreed to collect, use and share de-identified health information to track progress in key areas of health care using common key indicators.< /p>
Federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the agreement builds “on our shared goal of ensuring that all Canadians, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay, can To access the care they need, when they need it.”
