Yukon premier meets federal ministers over health, calls northern funding ‘critical’
By The Canadian Press on February 14, 2023.
WHITEHORSE – Yukon’s premier says the federal government’s priorities for bilateral health-care agreements are consistent with those of the territorial government. Premier Ranj Pillai met with federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc and federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos Tuesday after premiers agreed this week to accept a federal offer that will add $46.2 billion in new health-care funding over 10 years. The Yukon is expecting to receive $193 million over the decade from increases to the Canada Health Transfer. The federal government is negotiating individual bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories for a share of $25 billion that is to focus on supports for families, front-line workers, mental health and modernizing the system. Pillai says the territory has already invested a lot in those areas and the new deal will be a chance to invest more. He says he hopes to have a final deal complete this year. The federal agreement also comes with $150 million over five years for the territorial health investment fund to help cover medical travel and the cost of delivering health care in the territories. Pillai says service delivery in the North can be three to four times as expensive and called that money “critical.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2023. 10-9
