The Health Care Accords, 2003 and 2004

Both the Romanow and Kirby reports had advocated further federal spending on health care, but had indicated that voters would expect accountability from the provinces and health care providers. Through 2002, press reports had indicated that the money allocated to the infrastructure renewal campaign had not been spent solely on equipment or training new technicians, and so the 2003 First Ministers’ Accord on Health Care Renewal focused on a five-year plan for health care renewal that emphasized reorganizing primary care and home care, as well as creating electronic records. The accord also included creation of the Health Council of Canada. Neither Alberta nor Quebec was willing to support this innovation, but the remainder of the provinces and territories agreed to share information about their reforms and pilot projects with the Council and it commenced work in 2004.

A poll taken in 2004 showed the percentage of Canadians who were willing to pay for quicker access to health care.
Courtesy of Pollara Inc. of Toronto. Taken from Maclean’s, Vol. 117, No. 51 (December 20, 2004), p. 31.