Children’s Healthcare Canada Thanks the Premiers for their Focus on Healthcare

Children’s Healthcare Canada welcomes the Council of the Federation’s continued focus on strengthening Canada’s health care system and recognizes the urgent need for sustainable, long-term federal investments to support provinces and territories in delivering high-quality care.

The declaration rightly recognizes the growing financial pressure facing provincial and territorial health systems and the importance of ensuring stable, predictable funding for the future. As governments consider the next generation of health care investments, however, children and youth must not be overlooked.

While Canada’s health systems continue to face significant pressures, children experience unique challenges, including growing demand for mental health services, prolonged wait times for specialized pediatric care, workforce shortages, aging pediatric infrastructure, and persistent inequities in access to care, particularly for First Nations, Inuit and Métis children.

Future federal investments should provide provinces and territories with the certainty needed to plan for the future while supporting the priorities that will have the greatest impact on children’s health.

Children’s Healthcare Canada looks forward to working with federal, provincial and territorial governments to ensure that the next generation of healthcare investments includes a clear commitment to the health and well-being of children and youth.