Ontario's health care spending was the lowest in Canada per capita and below the average of other provinces in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, according to a new report by a government watchdog.A drone image of Ontario legislative assembly. The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario's latest report found that Ontario received the lowest total revenue per capita of the provinces and had the lowest total spending and the lowest total program spending.
Education spending in Ontario, however, was $2,843 per capita in 2022, the fifth highest among the provinces and $71, or 2.6 per cent, above the average of the other provinces. Education spending includes spending on primary, secondary and post-secondary education programs.Overall, the report found that Ontario received the lowest total revenue per capita of the provinces and had the lowest total spending and the lowest total program spending.
"Amidst a crisis, it is completely unacceptable for Canada's largest province to have the lowest per-capita healthcare funding, especially when 2.3 million people don't have a family doctor and emergency rooms are closing every week," Shamji said. "Despite having one of the highest budget deficits on record, the Ford government has repeatedly failed to put forward solutions that make Ontarians' lives easier and more affordable," Schreiner said.