The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions is alarmed by the federal government’s decision to impose out-of-pocket co-payments on refugees and refugee claimants accessing care through the Interim Federal Health Program, effective May 1.
These changes represent a significant cut to a program that exists to ensure some of the most vulnerable people in Canada can access essential health services. This approach effectively offloads health care costs onto refugees, people who are often arriving in Canada after experiencing trauma, displacement and significant health risks.
Frontline nurses know exactly what happens when financial barriers are introduced: people delay care, conditions worsen, and health needs become more complex and more costly to treat. These cuts will not reduce pressure on the system; they will shift costs to emergency rooms and frontline providers.
At the same time, these changes risk fueling harmful narratives that blame migrants for broader system challenges, rather than addressing the real issues facing Canada’s health care system, including chronic understaffing and underinvestment.
Canada’s health care system should be guided by need, not ability to pay. Introducing co-payments for refugees moves us further away from that principle.
We call on the federal government to reverse these cuts immediately. At minimum, implementation must be delayed until a full and transparent assessment of the impacts on patients, providers and the health system is completed.
Nurses across Canada believe in a public health care system that is accessible, equitable and compassionate. These changes undermine that vision.
