First pharmacare deal is coming soon: Health Minister

The federal government is on the brink of announcing a groundbreaking deal with the first Canadian province to join the federal pharmacare system, according to Health Minister Mark Holland. Speaking at the SOS Medicare 3.0 Conference in Ottawa, Holland shared the exciting news with attendees.

“We’re very close to signing the very first pharmacare deal in this country,” Holland stated confidently. He went on to reveal that the federal government has been engaged in intense meetings with several provinces in recent weeks to push forward with pharmacare agreements.

Last October, Parliament passed legislation that paved the way for a universal pharmacare plan in Canada. This legislation empowers the government to strike deals with provinces and territories to include diabetes and birth-control medications in the public health system. The federal government has committed $1.5 billion to cover the costs of providing these essential medications.

Holland emphasized the importance of securing the initial pharmacare agreements to help provinces unfamiliar with public health insurance understand how the system would operate. While he did not disclose specific timelines or which provinces would be early adopters, Holland assured reporters that the details would be revealed soon.

In a separate address at the conference, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh unveiled two key components of his party’s 2025 federal election platform. Singh pledged that a New Democrat government would guarantee every Canadian access to a family doctor. Additionally, he committed to fully funding virtual health-care services, ensuring that provinces cover virtual care costs.

Singh criticized the current practice of for-profit corporations charging Canadians for virtual health care services. He proposed modernizing the Canada Health Act to address this issue, as well as implementing fines for non-compliant health corporations.

However, Singh’s promise of providing a family doctor to every Canadian faced scrutiny at the conference. University of Ottawa professor Ivy Bourgeault cautioned against oversimplifying the primary care crisis by solely focusing on physicians. Bourgeault stressed the importance of nurse practitioners, registered nurses, dietitians, and social workers in comprehensive primary care models.

In response, Singh advocated for a collaborative approach to health care, emphasizing the utilization of various healthcare professionals in a team-based setting. He shared his positive experiences working in a multidisciplinary health center during his university years, highlighting the effectiveness of such integrated care models.

The announcements made by Health Minister Mark Holland and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh at the SOS Medicare 3.0 Conference signal significant progress and innovation in Canada’s healthcare landscape. As the federal government moves closer to finalizing pharmacare deals and the NDP unveils its visionary healthcare platform, Canadians can anticipate positive changes in the accessibility and quality of healthcare services nationwide.