Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered an economic update, signalling a slowdown in healthcare funding growth with a reduction to the 5% Canada Health Transfer to provinces. This shift will place additional strain on provinces such as B.C. already dealing with historic deficits and significant pressure on their healthcare systems.
In B.C., provincial policy decisions have already disproportionately reduced funding to the seniors’ care sector in an effort to control healthcare spending, including a loss of $251 million across the sector over 18 months, while simultaneously introducing policies that increase costs. For example, requiring eligible long-term care and assisted living operators to enter into HEABC agreements has driven up the cost of care, increasing the expense of every hour of service delivered. B.C’s seniors’ care sector has also seen a cancellation of seven long-term care projects, totalling at a loss of 1,200 beds.
At a time when demand for seniors’ care is rapidly increasing, reduced funding both federally and provincially, as well as increased provincial costs, are creating a widening gap between what the system requires and the resources available to support it.
BCCPA is calling for the provincial government to reverse the decision to include eligible long-term care and assisted living operators into HEABC. The government’s decision to have all eligible sites transitioned by 2028 will coincide with the reduction in funding from the federal government.
The government can’t afford it now and will definitely won’t be able to afford it in the future. The government must focus on addressing the funding model for existing underfunded HEABC sites.
Hear BCCPA CEO Mary Polak’s reaction to the federal funding cuts on Global BC (starting at 17:20) here.
