WINNIPEG — Provincial and territorial health ministers are still pushing for clarity on federal funding despite a one-year extension on some programs, Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said Thursday.
Speaking as host of the meeting of ministers in Winnipeg, Asagwara said federal confirmation of the extension is a first step but nothing more.
“We are unified in stating very clearly that we need to go much further than that,” they said.
“We have been asking very consistently for full clarity on all of the bilateral agreements and the Canada Health Transfer, and we remain unified in that ask.”
Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel announced an extension of funding on social media late Wednesday. She said it represents $1.2 billion in funding for mental health, addictions and home care.
The existing funding was set to expire next year.
The funding doesn’t add any new programming and doesn’t provide the certainty needed to plan long-term, said Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones.
