Politics

Conservatives promise to spend $1.5B to buy new medical imaging equipment

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Scheer promises to buy MRI and CT machines to replace aging ones

A member of a medical team prepares an MRI machine before a procedure at Toronto's Sunnybrook hospital on May 1, 2018. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said Friday that his party would spend $1.5 billion to buy new medical imaging equipment for facilities across Canada if it wins next month's election. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer promised Friday to spend $1.5 billion to buy new medical imaging equipment for facilities across Canada should his party win next month's federal election.

Scheer said a Conservative government would buy MRI and CT machines to replace aging ones, and that the move would reduce wait times.

He cited a Conference Board of Canada report that found there are excessive wait times for those screening tests, costing the economy billions of dollars.

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Scheer said that with Canada's aging population, the demand for such exams will only increase.

The Conservatives say the investment would give provinces more spending flexibility, with the federal government footing the bill for replacing out-of-date medical imaging equipment.

Scheer also highlighted his promise to maintain and increase the Canada Health Transfer, which provides long-term health-care funding to the provinces and territories.