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The Accessible Healthcare Crisis Continues to Ravage Western Canada

2024-02-21 11:05 AM
Analysis: Carter Hall

Ever since the confederation of Canada as a country, the western provinces have felt alienated compared to eastern provinces despite being crucial components of the nation. In recent years, the provincial healthcare systems in Western Canada have suffered greatly as a result of the heavy rifts created by the COVID-19 pandemic: in a poll conducted by Global News in 2022, less than 35% of Western Canadians feel satisfied with their provinces efforts to account for the rapidly growing population as well as their attempts to repair and upscale their healthcare systems. However, while the issue occurs at a provincial level, the reality is that this crisis is largely exacerbated by federal neglect.

Western Canada is home to around 31% of all Canadians and has an exponentially growing population which, in some regions such as Alberta and British Columbia, reaches record-breaking values as large as 129.7% and 165.8% respectively, since 1971 which places them as the fastest growing provinces in the nation. This explosive growth is predicted to place the total population of Western Canada above Quebec as a region. Despite this rapid growth, the federal government fails to significantly increase funding for these provinces leading to the underfunding of healthcare infrastructure. This lack of federal aid leaves Western Canadians to suffer nonoptimal and expensive treatment from aging facilities with insufficient medical supplies. This problem is further worsened in rural areas where 20% of Western Canada - roughly 2.5 million residents - live. Without adequate investment from the federal government, these crippling problems fall on the shoulders of provincial authorities who struggle to provide quality healthcare for their rapidly growing populations.

A problem exacerbating the issue of insufficient and inaccessible healthcare is the country-wide shortage of medical professionals in the modern climate. According to a census taken in 2024, 2.2 million Canadians are unable to register with a family doctor, and another 1.7 million Canadians are registered with physicians at, or over, the age of 65. Due to the current climate and large rural population of Western Canada, this national issue hits the western provinces the hardest. Federal policies have largely failed to address this, with attempts via immigration, financial incentives, student debt forgiveness, and general funding of education facilities all falling short of making a significant dent in the problem. As a result, long wait times for appointments with overburdened and elderly doctors have become commonplace in Canada, and even more so in western regions. This significantly hinders the population of Western Canada’s access to timely casual and essential healthcare services.

Indigenous communities in particular bear an incredibly heavy burden of healthcare inequities compared to the rest of Canada, due to the rural and disconnected nature of their communities as a result of systemic factors and historical federal neglect. This represents a significant demographic of over half of all Indigenous Canadians, almost 1 million people, who have little to no access to any form of local healthcare. Despite commitments and agreements to increase federal spending and improve the quality of healthcare services and facilities made by the federal government within the 94 calls to action, federal funding falls short of addressing the unique needs of indigenous communities within Western Canada. Cultural insensitivity and inadequate financial support for indigenous-led, independent healthcare initiatives further increase the disparities between the access of Western Indigenous communities to proper and convenient healthcare.

Economic policies at the federal level also indirectly impact healthcare accessibility by inefficiently distributing or outright wasting financial resources without creating significant improvements in the field. The overbearing presence and failures to resolve other incredibly pressing issues like poverty, unemployment, and housing insecurity all undermine efforts to improve the overall healthcare presence in the region.

Addressing the healthcare accessibility crisis in Western Canada demands a group effort from all levels of government and collaboration with Indigenous communities, healthcare professionals, and companies. Immediate action in the form of increased funding for healthcare infrastructure and the implementation of policies that address social determinants of health is necessary to move towards redeeming Western Canada’s healthcare system and taking a heavy weight off of provincial governments who are ill-equipped to fix their healthcare issues. Additionally, supporting Indigenous-led healthcare initiatives is an essential step toward achieving equitable healthcare access for all residents of the western provinces.

In conclusion, federal neglect drives the healthcare accessibility crisis facing Western Canada to extreme levels. By acknowledging these challenges and committing to meaningful action, policymakers in the federal government can work toward building a healthcare system that is inclusive, resilient, and equally responsive to the needs of all Canadians.