$100 Billion Lost: Canada's Economic Toll from Poor Health Revealed
A recent report by Deloitte found that poor health is costing Canada's economy over $100 billion annually. The analysis used the health productivity gap (HPG) framework to calculate this figure, which represents a significant portion of the country's economic output.
The report highlighted two major opportunities for improvement: reducing preventable illness and addressing caregiving responsibilities. According to Deloitte, reducing caregiving burden by 25% would generate $12 billion in economic gains, while reducing morbidity-related impacts by 25% would result in a GDP gain of $13 billion.
The report's authors emphasized the importance of considering health as part of Canada's productivity agenda. 'Productivity is one of Canada's most pressing challenges, yet health is rarely considered part of the productivity agenda,' said Michelle Theroux, national health leader at Deloitte.