The Foundation for Resilient Health (RESILIENT) and the Canadian Network for Human Health and the Environment (CNHHE) have made a submission to the Federal Finance Committee with recommendations for the upcoming Federal Budget that will to help to restart the Canadian economy as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, while also resolving inequities that are a root cause of poor health.

This year’s budget priority was restarting the economy following the COVID-19 pandemic.  We cannot let our efforts to restart the economy come at the expense of our health and environment. RESILIENT and CNHHE’s recommendations focus on prioritizing health and wellbeing and protecting the environment, which supports all life on earth. Our overall goal is improving health resiliency. A healthier, more resilient Canadian population will enable all Canadians to live better lives, contribute to our country, and be adaptable to future challenges. 

“We cannot let our efforts to restart the economy come at the expense of our health and environment.”

Our specific asks include:

  • Focusing on health and wellness by continuing to prioritize universal, public, single payer Pharmacare implementation
  • Protecting our natural environment by strengthening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to:
    • better protect vulnerable populations, and
    • include updated scientific understanding of chemicals in our environment that cause hormonal changes.
  • Recognizing the health risk of climate change by phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, investing in clean energy, and providing energy efficiency retrofit programs
  • Reducing economic inequities in Canada by conducting a formal review of, and developing a plan to implement income support options 

Read our budget submission here