Flaherty Betrayed Ontario On Health Transfers, Liberal Minister Says

TORONTO - The federal Conservatives have betrayed Canada's most populous province by breaking their promise over health-care funding, Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews charged Tuesday.

The Harper Tories promised all provinces a six per cent increase in health transfers, but they're only giving Ontario 3.4 per cent in 2014-15, she said.

Health Funding Canada: Alberta Wins At Other Provinces' Expense Under New Scheme, Data Suggests

OTTAWA - New calculations in Quebec's budget this week show changes to the structure of federal health-care transfers will handsomely reward Alberta at the expense of all other provinces.

Ottawa is moving toward a pure per-capita system of calculating how much each province should receive in federal health-care funding, starting in 2014.

The new system means the existing equalization component in health transfers — intended to even things out among have and have-not provinces — will disappear.

According to Quebec's calculations, the change means Alberta will receive $1.1 billion extra each year, on average.

Alberta Premier Alison Redford said in Calgary on Wednesday night that the figure outlined in the Quebec budget document is correct but she said it ensures that everyone is treated equally.

"There's really a fundamental difference of perspectives with respect to this," she told reporters.