A Prince Edward County Councillor is seeking support in lobbying the provincial government to put more funding behind public health units.
In a resolution to council on Tuesday’s meeting agenda, Coun. Bill Roberts says Ontario’s public health units & agencies sector has received a mere one-per cent in its annual budget increase from Queen’s Park since 2018, a sum significantly below inflation and real-world cost increases.
He added Ontario consistently ranks at the bottom for provincial health spending per capita, at $876 below the average of other provinces using 2022-2023 data.
Roberts is asking council to request that the Provincial Government redistribute a portion of the Land Transfer Tax to municipalities to address public health funding gaps and the rising percentage share of municipal contributions to public health units.
Also included in this request is to have the province commit to minimum annual funding increases tied to Ontario’s consumer price inflation, which is currently holding at 2.4-per cent, when announces its new Ontario Public Health Standards.
Council meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday night at Shire Hall.
The full resolution can be seen in the County meeting agenda.
