Recent data reveals that provinces with their own dental care coverage for children have received a smaller share of federal money from the Canada Dental Benefit, reports the Canadian Press.
The benefit was designed to “complement provincial coverage” and fill the gaps, which does not mean the benefit will be applied equally across all provinces. Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Nunavut and Yukon all received less funding than average, which was $4.23 per person.
Bloc Quebecois believes this is unfair and will deter provinces from developing comprehensive dental programs.
MP Jean-Denis Garon said, “We have a situation where those provinces who have higher taxes, whose citizens contribute more to their own dental plans, they’re in a situation where they are less covered by the federal program and in which they subsidize the dental program in other provinces.”
