OTTAWA –
Nova Scotia is the fourth province to sign a new health care agreement with the federal government, with Ottawa committing $355 million to improve access to health care.
British Columbia was the first country to sign a one-to-one deal with the federal government in October, followed just before Christmas by Prince Edward Island and Alberta.
The deals are part of a new health care agreement offered to premiers by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau early last year after provinces called on Ottawa to help deal with a health crisis including a shortage of health workers and overwhelmed hospitals.
The federal government said Nova Scotia plans to use the money to ensure 88 per cent of people in the province have access to primary care by expanding clinic hours in rural communities and introducing mobile health services and virtual emergency care.
Another important element of the agreement is to make patient records more accessible by creating a single provincial health records system.
Accessible patient records are central to Ottawa’s plans to improve health data collection across the country.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2024.
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