New federal funding, announced February 7, 2023, provides a marginal increase in support for provincial health care. The funding is much less than what Premiers requested.

The federal government will provide the Atlantic provinces with an extra $130 million in funding for health care in 2022/2023 and an average $455 million annually over the next 10 years. 

Health care is under pressure in Atlantic Canada and around the world yet is becoming increasingly important for our economic health and welfare. It remains to be seen whether this new money will help the Atlantic provinces address capacity issues and reform their health care systems sufficiently to improve health care outcomes.