Most Canadians say they want plans attached to health funding as PM, premiers meet

As premiers gather for a health summit with the PM, a majority of Canadians say they want more funding for health care - but many also want plans attached to increased spending.

As premiers gather in Ottawa for a high-stakes health summit, a majority of Canadians say they want to see more funding for health care — but many also want plans attached to increased spending amid concerns about how provinces allocate health dollars.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canada’s 13 premiers will sit down for a long-awaited first ministers meeting in Ottawa Tuesday, where Canada’s ailing health-care system will be the focus of what is expected to be a tough negotiation.

The premiers have been calling for a major influx of cash from Ottawa to the tune of about $28 billion, arguing the federal government should take on a greater share of the increasing costs of health care.

They say the annual Canada Health Transfer, which provided $45.2 billion to the provinces and territories this year and will increase to $49.3 billion next year, only covers 22 per cent of health costs and they want that percentage to rise to 35 per cent.

A senior government official with knowledge of the plan told The Canadian Press Monday that Trudeau will lay out a 10-year offer when he meets with the country’s 13 premiers in Ottawa on Tuesday.

Global News confirmed the same information with a senior federal government source, who said the offer will have two parts: an increase in the Canada Health Transfer and then an offer to do bilateral deals with the provinces that want individual flexibility.

Trudeau has said he “won’t be signing any deals” with the premiers during the Feb. 7 meeting, but rather will be focusing on how to improve outcomes for patients.

Canadians also appear to agree that more money for health care improvement is needed — but they don’t believe it should come in the form of a blank cheque, according to results of a new poll.