Overview

• Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration has paused signing the remaining nine provincial and territorial pharmacare agreements after initial deals in four jurisdictions.
• The Trudeau government allocated $1.5 billion over five years and signed deals with British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and Yukon covering more than 60 percent of the budget.
• Glenn Thibeault of Diabetes Canada says Ottawa should restructure pharmacare using a dental care model to focus federal funding on Canadians without private drug coverage.
• The advocacy group argues that the current program’s limited formulary excludes newer diabetes treatments and perpetuates inequities in access.
• Health Minister Marjorie Michel has declined to confirm the next steps as Ottawa continues consultations with provinces and territories.