The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, formally announced a two-year $60 million extension of the Territorial Health System Sustainability Initiative (THSSI).

"I am pleased to announce that THSSI funding agreements have been signed and funds are now flowing to territorial governments", said Minister Aglukkaq. "This time-limited funding will provide an opportunity for Territorial Governments to build on gains made during the first five years of this initiative. I look forward to hearing about its ongoing success. "

Over the next two years the THSSI will provide territorial governments with valuable resources to undertake health system reforms, participate in pan-territorial health initiatives and offset medical transportation expenses.

"Our Government welcomes the two year renewal of this most valuable initiative," said the Honourable Sandy Lee, Minister of Health and Social Services, Government of the Northwest Territories. "We are pleased the fund was extended for two years and look forward to continued collaboration with Canada as we move forward with discussions on the sustainability of our health system prior to the conclusion, in 2014, of the 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care."

"These funds will help us strengthen community level services, build self-reliant capacity to provide services within territory, and offset direct costs of medical travel," said Honourable Tagak Curley, Minister of Health and Social Services in Nunavut . "The medical travel grant from THSSI allows our government to devote resources toward improving the management of medical travel which is an important factor in the delivery of essential medical services to our patients."

"There are unique challenges in providing health care services in the North," said the Honourable Glenn Hart, Minister of Health and Social Services in Yukon. "This federal funding is helping to improve the health status of Northerners, position Northern people to fully participate in the development of the North, and ensure that the health system infrastructure and capacity needed to support a growing North are in place."

The THSSI is overseen by a Federal/Territorial Working Group made up of Assistant Deputy Ministers from Health Canada and each of the three territories' Departments of Health and Social Services.

Source:
Health Canada