Budget includes $6.4B in new funding for health care and training in B.C.
The B.C. government is pouring more money into the province’s beleaguered health-care system, committing an additional $6.4 billion in funding over three years.
The provincial budget, released Tuesday, describes improvements to the system as a top priority.
A third of the spending is simply to keep up inflation and growing demand due in part to an aging population, with another billion over three years going towards recruiting and retaining new health-care workers in an expansion of the health human resources strategy announced in September.
Nearly $1 billion is dedicated to mental health, addiction and substance use supports in what the finance minister describes as the biggest such investment in British Columbia’s history, aiming at what the province has called “seamless care.” Despite the investment, user fees will remain for those enrolling in existing treatment spaces; only new facilities will have fully free treatment.
"That's a missed opportunity,” said Usman Mustaq with the BC Health Coalition. “We know for folks who wish to access those treatment beds, user fees are a financial barrier."
The budget earmarks $586 million for treatment and recovery beds, $184 million for responding to the illicit drug toxicity crisis (including early intervention services for children and youth, prescription alternatives to illicit drugs, and police-nurse response teams), and $169 million for capital investments. The Red Fish Healing Centre model is also set to expand to more areas of the province.
The provincial operating budget for the 2023/24 fiscal year is $81.2 billion, and federal health-care funding agreed to in principle earlier this month is not included in the revenues since details have yet to be finalized.
CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS
As he announced on the weekend, Premier David Eby has earmarked $270 million toward the BC Cancer Care Plan, on top of $150 million in supplementary estimates going to the BC Cancer Foundation.
Also previously announced, a billion dollars from Budget 2023 will go towards a new funding model for family doctors that better compensates them for time spent with patients. The plan has not had universal uptake by the physicians themselves, despite a rollout early this month.
Another $875 million will go toward Pandemic Recovery Contingencies, including vaccination programs, personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, COVID-19 testing, and to overall “ensure the province can continue to provide ongoing health responses and to help people, businesses and communities that are still recovering from the pandemic’s impacts.”
The budget document makes special note that among the risks to the financial plan are the possible emergence of new COVID-19 variants, in addition to a possible recession, geo-political conflicts, and other factors.
MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING CONTINUES
The 2023 budget also continues spending on a number of key projects, adding up to a whopping $11.2 billion over three years, which the province claims is the largest-ever capital investment in new health-care infrastructure.
The new St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, the new Surrey Hospital and cancer centre, the Cowichan and District Hospital replacement, plus redevelopment and expansion of the Royal Columbian, Richmond, Mills Memorial, and Dawson Creek hospitals are among the biggest exenditures.
Despite outlining recruitment and retention efforts for health-care workers in particular, the BC Nurses Union found the budget short on details when it comes to staffing recovery beds and new hospitals alike.
“All this money's being invested in infrastructure, but where are you going to get the nurses from?” asked BCNU president Aman Grewal.
“We already have 5,325 vacancies here in B.C. alone.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau's 2024: Did the PM become less popular this year?
Justin Trudeau’s numbers have been relatively steady this calendar year, but they've also been at their worst, according to tracking data from CTV News pollster Nik Nanos.
Back on air: John Vennavally-Rao on reclaiming his career while living with cancer
'In February, there was a time when I thought my career as a TV reporter was over,' CTV News reporter and anchor John Vennavally-Rao writes.
Death toll in attack on Christmas market in Germany rises to 5 and more than 200 injured
Germans on Saturday mourned both the victims and their shaken sense of security after a Saudi doctor intentionally drove into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers, killing at least five people, including a small child, and wounding at least 200 others.
Overheated immigration system needed 'discipline' infusion: minister
An 'overheated' immigration system that admitted record numbers of newcomers to the country has harmed Canada's decades-old consensus on the benefits of immigration, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said, as he reflected on the changes in his department in a year-end interview.
The winter solstice is here, the Northern Hemisphere's darkest day
The winter solstice is Saturday, bringing the shortest day and longest night of the year to the Northern Hemisphere — ideal conditions for holiday lights and warm blankets.
Poilievre writes to GG calling for House recall, confidence vote after Singh declares he's ready to bring Liberals down
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has written to Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, imploring her to 'use your authority to inform the prime minister that he must' recall the House of Commons so a non-confidence vote can be held. This move comes in light of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh publishing a letter stating his caucus 'will vote to bring this government down' sometime in 2025.
School custodian stages surprise for Kitchener, Ont. students ahead of holiday break
He’s no Elf on the Shelf, but maybe closer to Ward of the Board.
Kelly Clarkson's subtle yet satisfying message to anyone single this Christmas
The singer and daytime-talk show host released a fireside video to accompany her 2021 holiday album, “When Christmas Comes Around” that she dubbed, “When Christmas Comes Around…Again.
Pope Francis reprimands Vatican staff for gossiping in annual Christmas message
Pope Francis told Vatican bureaucrats on Saturday to stop speaking ill of one another, as he once again used his annual Christmas greetings to admonish the backstabbing and gossiping among his closest collaborators.