Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has written a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying the province intends to opt out of the federal dental care plan by 2026.
In a letter dated Tuesday, Smith expressed the provincial government’s “concerns with the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), its impact on Albertans and how the province intends to proceed.”
Smith said the CDCP “unnecessarily replicates” publicly funded dental coverage that is already available to many Albertans.
“This duplication raises the question of the value of maintaining two plans and whether health funding would be more wisely used to support a single plan,” Smith wrote.
“Alberta has long maintained that it would be more effective to expand existing provincial programs than to introduce a new federal plan.”
The first phase of the $18-billion CDCP, which is rolling out in stages, launched on May 1 with coverage becoming available for eligible seniors.
In June, children under 18 and people with a valid disability tax credit certification were eligible to apply. All remaining eligible Canadian residents between 18 and 64 can apply online starting in 2025.
The Liberal government launched the CDCP as a condition of a deal with the NDP to ensure the opposition party’s support on key votes. The federal insurance-like program provides coverage to uninsured families with a household income under $90,000.
Christopher Aoun, press secretary to federal Health Minister Mark Holland, said in a statement more than 100,000 Albertans have already signed up for the plan and 200,000 Canadians have accessed dental services under it.
Aoun said the federal government will not let “cheap political games” compromise the program.
“The federal government will protect Canadians’ access to the dental care plan so they can access the care they need,” he wrote.
“To Premier Smith, we ask her to put politics aside so she can work with us to expand dental care coverage in Alberta.”
Smith said she doesn’t see the point in having a parallel program, adding the federal government should have consulted with the province.
“We are happy to work with them in assisting us in meeting our mutual goals,” she said on Wednesday. “That was the intention of our letter today.”
Also speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Alberta NDP health critic Dr. Luanne Metz said Smith’s plan to opt out of the federal program is “absolutely egregious.”
She said some Albertans have coverage, but many, including seniors and children, do not.
“This dental plan is going to help so many people,” she said. “We have needed it for a very long time.
“Danielle Smith needs to put aside her beef with the federal government and start caring about you.”
When asked about any overlap between the federal dental plan and the existing provincial program, Metz said it’s “for the most part untrue.”
“People that are on social programs in Alberta, such as Alberta Works, and children in care do get dental coverage, but that’s a very tiny fraction of the people that will be eligible for this federal plan,” Metz said.
In her letter, Smith said the addition of another dental plan is “complex and confusing.”
“Juggling two overlapping plans and struggling to understand their similarities and differences from a coverage viewpoint is challenging. Eligibility is also a concern,” she said.
“While more Albertans become eligible for coverage under the new federal plan, some Albertans that currently have coverage through provincial programs do not qualify for CDCP; vulnerable children in care are just one example.”
Metz acknowledged flaws in the way the federal program has been rolled out and communicated but said the issues can be fixed.
“That does not mean that we should deny people the benefits of the program,” she said.
Dr. Hans Herchen, a dentist who works out of a practice in Edmonton, told Global News he isn’t signed up for the federal program.
He said the rollout has been confusing for patients, which often ties up dentists. He also believes the current provincial plan is outdated.
“We welcome the opportunity to modernize Alberta dental plans,” said Herchen, who is also president-elect of the Alberta Dental Association.
Smith went on to say that health-care planning and delivery falls under provincial jurisdiction, and the new federal plan “infringes upon this exclusive jurisdiction.”
“If a new health program was to be developed by the federal government, it should be done in full collaboration with provinces and territories, and discussions should have occurred before these intentions are announced. Unfortunately, this did not occur,” Smith said.
“As such, Alberta intends to opt out of the federal plan and maintain its provincial programs for Albertans.”
Smith told the prime minister that her government wants to negotiate an agreement for the province’s share of the federal dental funding, with the intention of using the funding to expand dental coverage to more low-income Albertans.
“We anticipate out respective officials can negotiate mutually agreeable terms within a two-year timeframe and plan to opt out by 2026,” Smith said.
Metz said she doesn’t trust the Alberta government to use that funding to provide dental care for people who are not covered by provincial programs.
“We’ve seen time and again that they’re not to be trusted,” she said.
“Do you trust this government to use this money and roll it out so that people get dental care? I do not.”
On Wednesday, Smith said the province will continue to support seniors and low income Albertans so they have seamless service.
“We hope the federal government will work with us to support that,” she said.
Eligible Canadian residents can apply online, over the phone or in person at Service Canada.
— with files from Katie Dangerfield, Global News and The Canadian Press
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