Canada promises to spend billions to improve the healthcare system

The Canadian government has committed to investing close to C$200 billion in the nation's failing healthcare system over the next ten years.

In a Tuesday statement, the financing was presented as a generational solution for the system. Canada's hospitals have been struggling for months with a staffing shortage and protracted wait times for care. Since then, a few stories of patients passing away while awaiting treatment have surfaced.

All citizens and permanent residents of Canada have free, unlimited access to the essential hospital and doctor visits thanks to the taxpayer-funded healthcare system. It is funded by a combination of federal and provincial funds, but is handled locally. Through the Canada Health Transfer, the federal government provides about 25% of the financing.

The Canadian provincial premiers, who have urged Mr. Trudeau to raise federal spending on healthcare, heard the prime minister's funding appeal. However, Mr. Trudeau had stated that he would not boost financing without conditions. His plan calls for spending $196.1 billion on healthcare over the next ten years, $46.2 billion of which is additional funding not included in the budget. Over the following ten years, the total translates to an increase in the Canada Health Transfer to provinces of about 61%.Transfer to provinces over the next 10 years.