The federal government has signed an agreement in principle with Saskatchewan to invest nearly $6 billion into the province’s health-care system over the next 10 years.

This agreement provides Saskatchewan with a one-time $61 million investment to address urgent needs, especially in pediatric hospitals and emergency rooms.

The province says the funding will be used to speed up or enhance new measures underway to improve access to primary health care, surgeries and mental health and addiction services.

Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says the deal with Saskatchewan is an opportunity to continue collaboration and improve the experience of health workers and those they care for.

Provincial Heath Minister Paul Merriman says it is a positive step and will help build a stronger, more resilient health-care system that works for everyone in the province.

Saskatchewan is the eighth province to sign a deal with Ottawa on health-care funding, a first step to completing the $196-billion, 10-year health-care funding proposal that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made last month.

-With Files from the Canadian Press-