Friday February 4, 2022 | VICTORIA, BC | NATIONAL
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
Today, Canada’s Premiers released the results of a national survey conducted by Leger (during January 6 to 17, 2022) on Canadians’ attitudes to health-care.
The 13 premiers of Canada’s province and territories met earlier in the day February 4, remotely, chaired by BC Premier John Horgan who has been spearheading the process of requesting more health-care funding from the federal government.
Health-care second only to affordability:
The cost of living and issue of affordability were the only priority that was higher to Canadians than health-care (presumably the broader system and delivery of services), according to the survey of 2,614 people. Cost of living was indicated by 37 percent of respondents, with health-care showing 27 percent of the response.
The third priority was the impact of climate change (25 percent of responses), followed by the economic impacts of COVID-19 (25 percent), and the cost of housing (23 percent).
The health impacts of COVID-19 was the sixth-place result (23 percent), and mental health in seventh place (16 percent) — which of course are both health-care issues.
Summary of findings:
These are the key findings of the survey, as presented by the Council of the Federation:
- The vast majority (87%) of Canadians agree that an immediate increase in funding and resources is needed to help alleviate the considerable strain the pandemic has put on their province or territory’s healthcare system.
- 78% of Canadians agree that for long-term improvements in healthcare the federal government’s funding must be sustainable and maintained over time.
- Few Canadians (22%) believe that the federal government currently provides an adequate amount of funding to provinces/territories to properly deliver health services to citizens and even fewer (10%) believe this when they learn that funding has declined from 50% to 22% since 1960.
- 65% of Canadians agree that their provincial or territorial government is best able to determine healthcare spending needs in their province/territory compared to 11% who believe that the federal government is best able.
- 84% believe that provinces and territories should have the flexibility to adapt healthcare funding to their specific needs.
