Provincial-federal turf battles over health, housing on agenda of premiers meeting in Halifax

Healthcare, housing and the environment will be on the agenda as Canada's premiers gather in Halifax for the annual summer meeting of the Council of Federation.

Healthcare, housing and the environment will be on the agenda as Canada’s premiers gather in Halifax for the annual summer meeting of the Council of Federation.

The 13 leaders will also be pushing back on federal encroachment of provincial and territorial responsibility even as they demand help for their priorities.

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week, the premiers urged the federal government "to refrain from unilateral actions in areas of provincial and territorial jurisdiction, particularly in healthcare, education, and housing."

"We hope this letter will serve as an invitation to engage with premiers on ways to renew our relationship so that we can collectively deliver for Canadians,” continued the letter signed by Premier of Nova Scotia, Tim Houston, who is the Chair of the federation for this year.

In the past year, the federal government has increasingly bypassed the province to channel billions of dollars directly to municipalities to build apartments to deal with the massive housing shortages.

Provinces, in particular Quebec, have also placed the blame for housing shortages and increased pressure on the province’s social welfare costs on the federal government’s immigration policies. Premier Francois Legault has demanded that Ottawa reduce the number of temporary immigrants in the province and pay the costs linked to their housing and care. In June the federal government agreed to give Quebec $750 million to help pay for the surge in temporary migrants and distribute would-be refugees across the country.

As the premiers meet, a new Environics poll released by the Canadian Health Coalition shows that 74 per cent of Canadians say that health care in their province is in crisis.