Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during the International Council of Nurses Congress in Montreal, Wednesday, July 5, 2023. The Northwest Territories has signed on to Trudeau's health funding offer, which would see a $361-million boost to health transfers to the territories over 10 years. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
OTTAWA – Yukon has signed on to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s health funding offer, which would see $380 million in federal funding delivered to the territory over 10 years.
News of that deal came less than half an hour after Northwest Territories announced its own agreement in principle with Ottawa, worth $361 over 10 years.
Both agreements include a boost to health-care transfers from the federal government, and $73-million for each territory focused on their specific concerns.
Trudeau presented his offer to provincial and territorial premiers in February as local politicians, doctors, nurses and health advocates raised concerns about a national health-care crisis.
Nunavut and Quebec are now the only provincial and territorial governments without a new health agreement.
In exchange for the funds, provinces and territories have committed to develop a three-year plan with targets and timelines for improving health care in their jurisdictions.
As part of the deal, both Northwest Territories and Yukon will see an immediate one-time top up of $2 million that is intended to address urgent needs in the health-care system.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023.
