Eight in 10 Canadians back the ask even if it means paying higher taxes
The Canadian Cancer Society is calling on federal, provincial and territorial governments to establish dedicated funding for cancer care equal to a 1 percent annual increase to the Canada Health Transfer, approximately $575m per year.
Health ministers are preparing to discuss the future of the transfer, the society said in a release.
Cancer cases are rising sharply and progress has stalled in key areas of prevention and early detection, according to the society, which warns that Canada is not prepared for the surge in cancer cases expected over the next decade.
The total cost of cancer to society is $37.7bn and rising.
Andrea Seale, chief executive officer of the Canadian Cancer Society, said in the release that Canada needs to invest in health care now to meet rising demand for cancer care.
She said without action, diagnosis delays, screening gaps and inequities will all worsen.
Cancer remains Canada's leading cause of death, and the number of cancer deaths is projected to increase by 44 percent between 2020 and 2040.
Colorectal cancer rates in younger people are now two to 2.5 times higher than previous generations, and cervical cancer rates have plateaued after years of decline.
A dedicated 1 percent annual increase to the Canada Health Transfer of roughly $575m per year would give provinces and territories the capacity to modernize health data, accelerate innovation across the cancer system, and strengthen prevention, screening, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and supports in every region.
It would also allow provinces and territories to shift toward a national standard of cancer prevention and care.
Canada and its G7 partners made a commitment weeks earlier to "strengthen access to quality cancer care for all," and the society said dedicated cancer funding would enable Canada to fulfill that commitment.
Public healthcare accounts for approximately 8 percent of Canada's GDP and more than 10 percent of total employment, and supports nearly 2 million workers, according to the society.
Cancer costs taxpayers billions in healthcare expenses, lost productivity, reduced competitiveness and workforce disruption.
In 2024, the cost of cancer in Canada was projected to be $37.7bn and was expected to rise by 23 percent over the next decade.
Seale said investing in cancer care today will shape outcomes for decades.
She said the investment saves both lives and money, calling it "one of the smartest economic decisions Canada can make."
Jason Abramovitch was 36 when he was diagnosed with stage 3B colorectal cancer in 2020. He underwent surgery and six months of chemotherapy, and nearly two years later new nodules were found on his lung.
Access to specialists, a second opinion and radiation therapy allowed him to avoid major surgery and return to routine surveillance.
New Ipsos polling conducted for the Canadian Cancer Society found that more than eight in 10 Canadians, or 84 percent, support dedicated funding for cancer care even if it requires higher taxes.
