Quality Health Care
Canada's health care system is among the best and lowest cost of all industrialized countries. The cost of our statutory and employer-sponsored benefits is quite reasonable:
- Our payroll taxes are the lowest of all G-7 countries
- Employer-paid health benefits as a percentage of workers' gross pay are about 22% of what they are in the U.S. (2.1% in Canada versus 9.6% in U.S.)
- Employee benefits are lower in Canada than they are in the United States
- Total payments for Canadian statutory and other benefits are 25.6% of salary and wages, compared to 34.2% in the U.S.
Lower medical insurance premiums are a major reason for this Canadian advantage.
The Manitoba government strongly supports the practice of prevention of illness as being more physically beneficial and more cost effective than long-term medical care. Health care in Manitoba is directing much of its attention to pro-active health care. However, when medical care is required, the major task for Manitoba Health is to ensure the most up-to-date medical services are available when and where they are needed.