Funding for health infrastructure has declined in Canada recently

Funding for long-term investments such as building hospitals and other health facilities has declined in recent years in Canada, according to a new study. Researchers examined how health care spending and investment in health care infrastructure, known as capital funding, have changed in Canada since 1998, and found that although capital funding has grown from $2.3 billion to $8.1 billion annually, it's still a lower percentage of Canada's GDP compared to other Western countries, including the U.S. and France. At the same time, health care capital funding experienced large swings, going from a 6% increase in spending in 2012 to almost a 4% decline in 2017. But just an increase in capital funding won't solve the problem, the authors write, adding that such funding should also be overseen in way that's fair, transparent, and ethical to protect the public's trust.