Working together to improve health care in Canada: Working Together bilateral agreements

The bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible and tailored, so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography.

The funding for the bilateral agreements includes:

• $25 billion over 10 years to support the 4 shared health priorities
• $2.4 billion for mental health and substance use services remaining from the 2017 federal budget commitment to advance the Common Statement of Principles on Shared Health Priorities

As part of the bilateral agreements, provinces and territories commit to:

• draft action plans to describe how they will use federal funds, identify and measure targets, and report annually on their progress
• collaborate on health workforce priorities, including:
  • streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally-educated health professionals
  • advance labour mobility by making it easier for health care providers to work in different provinces or territories
• improve how health information is collected, shared, used and reported to, including:
  • collecting and securely sharing comparable information needed to improve health care for people in Canada
  • adopting common standards to better connect Canada's health care system, including with the implementation of the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap
  • aligning policies and legislative frameworks to support the use of health information for the public good
  • advancing in person-centered principles outlined in the Pan-Canadian Health Data Charter for the management of health information
  • helping better manage public health emergencies

The bilateral agreements are underpinned by key principles, including:

• a shared responsibility to uphold the Canada Health Act that protects access to health care for people in Canada
• principles agreed to in the 2017 Common Statement of Principles on Shared Health Priorities
• reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, recognizing their right to fair and equal access to health services free from racism and discrimination anywhere in Canada, including meaningful engagement and work with Indigenous organizations and governments
• equal access to health services for equity-seeking groups and individuals, including those in official language minority communities

Working Together funding agreements and news releases