Working together to improve health care in Canada: Home and Community Care, and Mental Health and Addictions Services bilateral agreements

The 2017 federal budget confirmed an investment of $11 billion over 10 years (2017-18 to 2026-27) to provinces and territories specifically targeted to improve home and community care, and mental health and addictions services.

In August 2017, all provinces and territories agreed to a  Common Statement of Principles on Shared Health Priorities, which outlines common priorities for action in these areas. Agreements were negotiated and signed  with each province and territory that described how each jurisdiction is using federal funding.

The agreements for the first 5 years expired on March 31, 2022. These agreements included the Safe Long-Term Care Fund to protect those living and working in long-term care settings and improve infection prevention and control measures. The fund announced in 2020 committed $1 billion to support provinces and territories to:

• make improvements to ventilation
• hire additional staff or top up wages
• conduct infection prevention and control readiness assessments

Once these agreements expired, new 1-year agreements for April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 were implemented. These agreements delivered the first 6 years of the 10-year funding commitment outlined in the 2017 federal budget. The remaining 4 years of funding is integrated into the bilateral agreements on:

• Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians
• Aging with Dignity