Ontario's lowest level of health care spending in Canada 2022-2023: report

Health care spending in Ontario was the lowest per capita in Canada and below the average for other provinces in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, according to a new report by a government watchdog.

The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) report released Wednesday compares the Ontario government's spending, revenue, budget balance and net debt to other Canadian provinces using Statistics Canada's Government of Finance Statistics for the same year. FAO conducts an independent analysis of the state of provincial finances.

According to the report, per capita health care spending in Ontario was $4,889 in 2022-2023, the lowest in Canada and $876, or 15.2 per cent, below the average for other provinces. Health care costs include inpatient and outpatient services, medical supplies and equipment, and health care services. You can read the report here.

“Since 2008, Ontario's per capita health care spending has consistently been the lowest or near the lowest in Canada,” the report said.

However, education spending in Ontario was $2,843 per capita in 2022, the fifth highest among the provinces and $71, or 2.6 per cent, higher than the average for other provinces. Education expenditures include expenditures on elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education programs.

In an emailed statement Thursday, Hannah Jensen, a spokeswoman for Health Minister Sylvia Jones, said the province has invested more than $85 billion in the health system this year — which she said is “the health budget of every province.” and unites the territory”.

“As usual, the FAO report does not take into account the full costs of the project and is only a snapshot in time,” he wrote. “Accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date figures will be reported in the assessment.”

Lowest total costs in all provinces

Overall, the report found that Ontario received the lowest total per capita income of the provinces and had the lowest total expenditures and the lowest total program costs. It also found that Ontario has the third largest deficit and the highest net debt per capita among the provinces.

Opposition party members say the province is failing to meet the needs of Ontario residents by spending the least per capita on health care in Canada.

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles accused the Doug Ford government of negligence.

“We see their indifference in health care staffing shortages, long emergency room wait times, declining housing starts. While conservatives are destroying the resource system, hardworking people are paying the price,” Stiles said in an email. Wednesday.

Ontario Liberal MPP Adil Shamji said in an email Wednesday that the report shows a failure of the province's residents.

“In times of crisis, having the lowest per capita health care funding for Canada's largest province is completely unacceptable, especially when 2.3 million people don't have a family doctor and emergency rooms are closing every week,” Shamji said.

“Under Doug Ford, Ontario has seen the worst health care performance in our province's history, and along with widespread mismanagement, that's a big reason.”

Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said in a statement Wednesday that the province has left ordinary Ontarians behind.

“Despite running one of the highest budget deficits ever, the Ford government has repeatedly failed to offer solutions that make life easier and more affordable for Ontarians,” Schreiner said.

Ontario received the least amount in federal transfers

In the report, 2022-2023

• Ontario received $12,643 in gross per capita income, the lowest among the provinces and $4,034, or 24.2% below the rest of Canada average of $16,676.
• Ontario's total per capita spending is the lowest among the provinces at $13,065 and is $3,338, or 20.4 per cent, below the rest of Canada average of $16,403.
• Ontario's per capita program spending of $12,138 was the lowest among the provinces and $3,251, or 21.1 per cent, lower than the rest of Canada, which was $15,389.
• Ontario's budget deficit was $422 per person, the third largest deficit among the provinces. Ontario was one of five provinces to record a deficit that fiscal year, along with Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Quebec and British Columbia.
• Ontario's net debt per capita was $19,436 and $9,997 in 2022, or 105.9%, among the provinces. Higher than the rest of Canada, it's $9,439.

“Ontario's high relative net debt results from its frequent budget deficits, which are generally higher than the average budget deficits in the rest of Canada,” FAO said in a press release.

“However, despite the province's relatively high debt levels, Ontario's 2022 debt service per capita rate was 8.6 per cent below the rest of Canada's average, which was below Ontario's average effective interest rate of 3.5 per cent.”

The report also noted that Ontario received $1,984 per capita in federal transfers in 2022-2023, the lowest among the provinces and $1,927, or 49.3 per cent, below the rest of Canada.