Working together to improve health care in Canada: Working Together bilateral agreements
The bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible and tailored, so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography.
The funding for the bilateral agreements includes:
- $25 billion over 10 years (2023-24 and 2032-33) to support the 4 shared health priorities
- $2.4 billion for mental health and substance use services remaining from the 2017 federal budget commitment to advance the Common Statement of Principles on Shared Health Priorities
As part of the bilateral agreements, provinces and territories commit to:
- develop action plans to describe how they will use federal funds, identify and measure targets, and report annually on their progress
- collaborate on health workforce priorities, including:
- streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally-educated health professionals
- advance labour mobility by making it easier for health care providers to work in different provinces or territories
- improve how health information is collected, shared, used and reported to, including:
- collecting and securely sharing comparable information needed to improve health care for people in Canada
- adopting common standards to better connect Canada's health care system, including with the implementation of the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap
- aligning policies and legislative frameworks to support the use of health information for the public good
- advancing in person-centered principles outlined in the Pan-Canadian Health Data Charter for the management of health information
- helping better manage public health emergencies
The bilateral agreements are underpinned by key principles, including:
- a shared responsibility to uphold the Canada Health Act that protects access to health care for people in Canada
- principles agreed to in the 2017 Common Statement of Principles on Shared Health Priorities
- reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, recognizing their right to fair and equal access to health services free from racism and discrimination anywhere in Canada, including meaningful engagement and work with Indigenous organizations and governments
- equal access to health services for equity-seeking groups and individuals, including those in official language minority communities
The agreements for the first 3 years of funding expired on March 31, 2026 and provided:
- $7.5 billion over 3 years from Budget 2023 for shared health priorities
- $1.8 billion over 3 years from Budget 2017 for mental health and substance use services
Seven-year renewed agreements for April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2033 will provide the remaining:
- $17.5 billion over 7 years (2026-27 to 2032-33) from Budget 2023
- $600 million in 2026-27 from Budget 2017 for mental health and substance use services
Once signed, the agreements will be published online and will include an updated action plan for the next 4 years of funding (2026-27 to 2029-2030). In 2030-31, provinces and territories will provide a final action plan for the last 3 years of funding (2030-31 to 2032-33), which will also be published online.