Ottawa hints at cash injection for beleaguered health-care system

A similar story playing out in provinces and territories across the country shows health-care systems stretched thin, overworked staff at a breaking point and patients not getting the level of care they expect.

"Nobody's seen it like this. I've been nursing for 36 years and it's never been as bad as it is right now,” said Aman Grewal, president of the BC Nurses' Union. “So, we need to have real concrete solutions to fix these problems."

Provincial and territorial health ministers showed a united front at a Monday news conference ahead of a meeting with their federal counterpart.

B.C.’s Adrian Dix highlighted efforts to recruit more staff and retain those already working in hospitals and other health-care facilities.

"There is not a jurisdiction in Canada that is not pursuing a health human resources plan that is significant and necessary for the extraordinary challenges of the present, and of the future,” he said as the other health ministers stood in a line behind him.

Ottawa currently chips in to cover 22 percent of health care costs and the provinces would like to see that increase to 35 percent – an additional $28 billion per year.

"There's no point just putting more money into a broken system,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday.

“We need to make sure that more investments in health care ends up supporting the folks on the front lines."

Without providing any actual numbers federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos signaled a willingness for Ottawa to put more money on the table.

"We would do this if provinces and territories are prepared to commit to a meaningful expansion in the sharing and use of common key health indicators, and to build a world-class health data system for Canada,” Duclos said in a statement.

At the news conference, none of the provincial and territorial health ministers raised any concerns about sharing more health-care data with the feds.

“Of course, the federal government saying that they are prepared to invest more is good news and we look forward to seeing details,” Dix said. “We hope that such an announcement and any discussions we have tomorrow lead to what we have been wanting and expecting for months.”

Duclos is expected to share more specifics when he meets with his provincial counterparts on Tuesday.