Canada's health-care spending to reach $372 billion in 2024

The Canadian Institute for Health Information says health-care spending in the country is projected to reach a new high in 2024. The annual report released Thursday says total health spending this year is expected to hit $372 billion, or $9,054 per Canadian. CIHI's national analysis predicts expenditures will rise by 5.7 per cent in 2024, compared to 4.5 per cent last year, and 1.7 per cent in 2022. This year’s health spending is estimated to represent 12.4 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product. The report notes that the Canadian dental and pharmacare plans could push health-care spending even further as more people who previously couldn't afford these services start using them.

Some Royal Canadian Legion branches are struggling to keep their doors open, as they face inflation and rising maintenance costs on aging buildings. Several legions say the COVID-19 pandemic hit them hard financially and they're still struggling to recover, even if they're no longer at risk of closure. Montreal’s Verdun legion sold its building over a decade ago and now meets once a week in a rented space. The branch in Grenfell, Saskatchewan, has decided to put its building up for sale, due to what its president calls aging membership and an aging building.