About Health Canada

April 1^st, 2013 For immediate release

Ottawa -The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today reaffirmed that the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) will reach a record high level of $30.3 billion in 2013-14, providing provinces and territories with long-term, predictable and sustainable funding to support the effective front-line delivery of health care services to Canadians and their families.

Our Government is committed to a strong, publicly funded, universally accessible health care system for Canadians, said Minister Aglukkaq. With the actions our Government has taken to grow transfers to provinces and territories to record sustainable levels, we are helping ensure health care and other vital services will be there for Canadian families when and where they need them.

The CHT will grow at 6 per cent per year, from $28.6 billion in 2012-13 to a projected $37.7 billion in 2017-18, exceeding the current growth rate of provincial health care spending. Starting in 2017-18, the CHT will grow in line with a three-year moving average of nominal GDP growth, with funding guaranteed to increase by at least 3 per cent per year.

All major federal transfers to provinces and territories will continue to grow from current record levels, at a sustainable and affordable rate, said the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance. These transfers will total $62 billion in 2013-14, representing an increase of almost 50 per cent since 2006.

In addition to the CHT, the federal government provides transfers to the provinces and territories in support of education, child care and social services through the Canada Social Transfer (CST). The Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing Programs also ensure that provinces and territories can provide Canadians access to reasonably comparable programs and services at comparable levels of taxation.

These record investments in health and social priorities will be supported by a Canadian economy that is powered by Economic Action Plan 2013, said Minister Flaherty. This plan introduces a bold and innovative skills training initiative, the largest and longest federal infrastructure plan in Canadian history, and significant new investments to support manufacturing and innovation in Canada.

Details on specific transfer amounts to provinces and territories are available on the  Finance Canada web site at: http://www.fin.gc.ca/fedprov/mtp-eng.asp.

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Media Enquiries:

Department of Finance: Media Relations Jack Aubry 613-996-8080

Kathleen Perchaluk Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Finance 613-996-7861

Health Canada: Media relations (613) 957-2983

Cailin Rodgers Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq Federal Minister of Health (613) 957-0200

Public Enquiries: (613) 957-2991 1-866 225-0709