Canada's premiers demand increase in annual health care transfer payments to provinces and territories

Canada's premiers are again demanding Ottawa increase annual health care transfer payments to provinces and territories.

The premiers are unanimous in their call for the federal government to hike the transfers by 28 billion dollars this year, and then by five per cent each year thereafter.

They argue the federal government shoulders only 22 per cent of the cost of health care.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged that the federal government's share must eventually increase, but he's told premiers that will have to wait until after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister warns that a "post-pandemic pileup" of medical costs is coming.