Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Canada’s Minister of Health, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, on behalf of the Honourable Ya’ara Saks, Canada’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, and the Honourable Mark McLane, Prince Edward Island’s (PEI) Minister of Health and Wellness, announced a bilateral agreement to invest more than $94 million over the next three years, marking a crucial step in a 10-year plan for collaboration. This new funding by the Government of Canada will help accelerate efforts in PEI to improve health care access and services.

"Canadians want and deserve better access to health services; and we need to act now to address the challenges in front of us. This agreement and action plan is an important step in our collaboration with Prince Edward Island to take measurable action to transform our health care system. Prince Edward Island's investment of a significant portion of the federal funding to expanding family health services to every Islander is a great step forward for PEI healthcare. Together with all provinces and territories, we will continue working to get better health outcomes for Canadians."

The Honourable Mark Holland
Canada's Minister of Health

"Mental health is health, and through this agreement, we will be working with PEI to integrate mental health and substance use care as a full and equal part of our universal health care system. With this critical investment, PEI will be able to continue investing in Mobile Mental Health units and Student Well-being Teams. Together, we must ensure that all Canadians have access to supports and services for their mental health and well-being—when they need them, wherever they need them."

The Honourable Ya'ara Saks
Canada's Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

"Today is a great day for Islanders, and proof of what we can accomplish when we work together. This investment will make our health care system stronger and improve health outcomes and access to services for folks right across Prince Edward Island."

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"Collaboration with the federal government is key as we move forward to enhance health care across Prince Edward Island. Through this funding, we will be able to invest further in some of our top priorities, such as expanding patient medical homes, increasing international recruitment efforts, and so much more. We are continuously moving forward to improve health care outcomes for Island residents, and this is an excellent step in that direction."

The Honourable Mark McLane 
Prince Edward Island's Minister of Health and Wellness

• The Working Together investment includes $25 billion for tailored bilateral agreements with provinces and territories, a guaranteed 5% Canada Health Transfer (CHT) increase for the next five years—amounting to $17.5 billion—and a one time CHT $2 billion top-up to address urgent needs of emergency rooms and paediatric hospitals delivered in June 2023. Combined, these investments provide provinces and territories the flexibility to address the unique needs of their populations and geography, and accelerate health care system improvements.

• Budget 2023 outlined the Government of Canada's plan to invest over $200 billion over 10 years, including $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories, to improve health care for Canadians. Within this funding, $25 billion is allocated through tailored bilateral agreements to address the unique needs of their populations and geography in four shared health priorities:

  • expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supporting health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • increasing mental health and substance use support; and
  • modernizing health care systems with health data and digital tools.

• All provinces and territories are already making considerable investments to advance progress in all four of these priority areas, and the new federal funding is complementing and expanding those efforts.

• As part of these bilateral agreements, provinces and territories are developing action plans that outline how funds will be spent and how progress will be measured to demonstrate to Canadians that improvements are occurring in Canada's health care system. PEI's initial 3-year Action Plan can be found here.

• Budget 2017 committed $11 billion over 10 years in federal funding to provinces and territories to improve access to home and community care, and mental health and addictions services for Canadians. Bilateral agreements were signed with provinces and territories to access the first six years of funding. The final four years of funding for mental health and addictions are included in the new Working Together bilateral agreements.

• The Government is also working with provinces and territories to implement a second bilateral agreement focused on helping Canadians age with dignity close to home, with access to home care or care in a safe long-term care facility. This agreement will include the remaining $2.4 billion over four years to improve access to home and community care from Budget 2017; and the $3 billion over five years for long-term care from Budget 2021 to apply standards of care in long-term care facilities and help support workforce stability.

Associated links

• Working Together to Improve Health Care in Canada
• Canada-Prince Edward Island Agreement to Work Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians (2023-24 to 2025-26)
• Budget 2023

Christopher Aoun
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Mark Holland
Minister of Health
613-291-4176

Alexander Fernandes
Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor
Office of the Honourable Ya'ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
613-290-0318

Media Relations
Health Canada
613-957-2983
media@hc-sc.gc.ca

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