By Canadian Press

Planned rollout of dental care will miss deadline in Liberals’ deal with the NDP

Feb 1, 2024 | 10:53 AM

OTTAWA — The New Democrats and Liberals are at odds over the rollout of the new federal dental plan, after the government announced it wouldn’t fully expand eligibly until 2025 — contrary to the pact it signed with the NDP.

The dental-care plan will eventually cover all uninsured Canadians with an annual household income under $90,000. 

It’s one of the main pillars of a Liberal deal with the NDP intended to prevent an election before 2025. 

The deal calls for the program to be fully implemented by the end of the year, but on Wednesday, the government announced registration wouldn’t begin for most adults between the ages of 18 and 65 until next year. 

NDP health critic Don Davies says if that’s how it happens, his party will take the government to task.

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Health Minister Mark Holland says enrolling as many as nine million Canadians to the program is complicated, and the government will need to move more slowly to get it right. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2023.

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press