More than half of Ontarians agree health-care funding should have strings attached, survey finds
More than half of Ontarians believe the federal government should attach conditions to their updated health-care funding deal, a new survey suggests.
Canada's premiers are meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week to advocate for an increase to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT), which is currently set at about $45.2 billion for this year.
The provinces have long called for the amount to go from 22 per cent to about 35 per cent, adding about $28 billion to their coiffeurs. While the federal government has hinted at an increase, it is unclear if it will meet the full amount of the request.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Officials have also hinted that certain strings will be attached to the increase, including a commitment to data sharing, reducing surgery backlogs and investing in mental health.
According to a poll conducted by Angus Reid, about 44 per cent of Canadians believe the funding should be unconditional, with 41 per cent in favour of a deal with strings attached.
Ontario respondents, however, strongly agreed with federal demands for reforms being attached to health-care funding. About 54 per cent of respondents said the government should tack on conditions, even if it delays the agreement.
No other province felt this strongly about the federal government's contingencies.
A chart shows the results of an Angus Reid poll released on Feb. 6, 2023.
The Ontario government has previously said it would support a push to make health-care funding contingent on data reporting.
The province has also begun to put forward a plan that would see surgery backlogs reduced by increasing the number of procedures that can be done at private clinics.
The plan faced immediate backlash, but according to the survey, about 48 per cent of respondents support the efforts.
Canada-wide, about three in five respondents in every region supports the idea of having doctors at third party clinics perform services such as cataract, hip and knee surgeries, and MRIs.
The online Angus Reid poll, conducted between Feb. 1 and Feb. 3, surveyed 1,726 adults across Canada and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.