Health minister to look into Calgary funding: Stelmach
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 | 12:18 PM ET
CBC News
Ed Stelmach said the difference in health funding could be the result of varied demographics and service needs between the health regions. (CBC)Alberta's premier said his government will look into complaints from the Calgary Health Region about the city's health funding as compared to the provincial capital.
Health Minister Ron Liepert will look into the issue after a report from the Calgary Health Region (CHR) that the city has received hundreds of millions of dollars less in health funding than Edmonton over the past six years, said Premier Ed Stelmach.
Liepert will meet with the CHR about its concerns before reporting back to the provincial cabinet, but Stelmach said on Tuesday that the difference in funding could be due to the different demographics and needs of the health regions.
"The formula is quite complex. It looks at the socioeconomic structure of the region," he said.
"There is, of course, differences in aboriginal community service, seniors, a whole bunch of very different complex factors into the formula. And, it's a formula we've followed over a number of years."
CHR said the shortfall means the city faces overcrowded hospitals and staffing shortages, and risks putting some programs on the chopping block to stay afloat. The health authority is carrying a budget deficit of $115 million from last year.
Stelmach said that determining budgets are a difficult balancing act.
"We share, of course, a common goal. And that is to improve access … and also quality, of care, and find ways of making it sustainable," he said. "If you're going to be increasing your budgets yearly, double digits, in five years you're going to double the budget. Well, if you take this budget and double it, what department do you take out?"
Additionally, Stelmach noted that almost every region in the province says it needs more money.
"There are unique issues in every regional health authority in the province of Alberta. You know you go to Fort McMurray, you'll hear Fort McMurray saying 'Well, you're extracting our resources. You're not returning enough here.' You go to Grande Prairie, same issue," he said.
"Every region has the same issue that we have in Calgary."
