B.C., Ottawa ink $426M deals to support care assistants, drugs for rare disease

Federal Health Minister Mark Holland, left, and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix sign a document after a health-care funding announcement in Vancouver, B.C., Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Ottawa is providing $426 million to support heath care in British Columbia.

A statement from Health Canada says $232 million will flow through an "aging with dignity agreement" to help pay the salaries of nearly 13,000 health-care assistants in public long-term care and assisted living facilities over the next five years.

That agreement was first struck in February and Health Canada says the funding will be extended through to 2029.

The remaining $194 million is being provided through an agreement to help B.C. expand access to drugs used to treat rare diseases.

The funding is part of close to $200 billion set aside for health care over 10 years in the 2023 budget, including $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories.

Health Minister Mark Holland announced the latest funding in Vancouver alongside his B.C. counterpart Adrian Dix.

Dix says B.C.'s agreements with Ottawa will raise wages and benefits for health-care assistants and contribute to a more equitable health-care system overall.

Health Canada says the funding for drugs for rare diseases means B.C. residents will be able to access the drugs Poteligeo, used to treat Sezary syndrome, and Oxlumo, which treats hyperoxaluria type 1.

The department says more drugs will be added to the list as the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance concludes its price negotiations for each one.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2024.