Premier David Eby, (right to left) Dominic LeBlanc, federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos meet in Victoria, February 14, 2023. They spoke about bilateral health agreements between federal and B.C. governments. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dirk Meissner
VICTORIA – Premier David Eby and two federal ministers held talks today focusing on reaching bilateral agreements on health-care issues in British Columbia.
The talks come after Canada’s premiers agreed this week to accept a federal offer that will add $46.2 billion in new health-care funding over 10 years.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says he expects Ottawa and B.C. to soon reach a flexible bilateral action plan on health issues involving family care improvements, mental health services, front-line worker supports and modernizing the work environment.
Eby says the bilateral discussions underway between B.C. and the federal government are about where the province will allocate funding, and relieving pressure on hospitals through home care and mental health and addictions services are major parts of the talks.
B.C. expects to receive an average of $600 million a year over the next decade for health funding from the federal government.
Duclos says he expects the bilateral agreements will improve health services in B.C. and information gathered by the province will give evidence of the progress.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2023.
