Ottawa's $900M transfer will be fully invested into Quebec's health-care network: health minister

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube responds to the Opposition during question period, Friday, December 8, 2023 at the legislature in Quebec City. (Jacques Boissinot / The Canadian Press)

The Legault government has guaranteed that the $900 million it received "unconditionally" from Ottawa will be invested in the health-care network.

On Tuesday, Quebec City and Ottawa announced a health agreement in principle, which the Legault government immediately described as "asymmetrical, unconditional."

Quebec will be entitled to $900 million a year for 10 years, one-sixth of what it was asking for. In return, it will share with the federal government its health data, most of which was already public.

At a press briefing at the National Assembly on Wednesday morning, the Liberal opposition pointed out that $900 million would finance barely a week's worth of activities in Quebec's health-care network.

Liberal health critic André Fortin expressed concern that the government would spend the money in other ways, as it has done in the past, notably on transfers for daycare.

"The government does intend to invest the full amount of the health agreement in the health network," Health Minister Christian Dubé told a press scrum.

"I spoke with the minister of finance to make sure it was clear that there were no conditions, but it's certain that with the shortfall of $6 billion, these sums will be invested," he declared.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 20, 2024.