Nine months after the Pharmacare Act (C-64) received Royal Assent on October 10, 2024 , just four provinces and territories have signed bilateral agreements with the federal government. Those agreements are valued at $928 million over four years starting in 2026.
The Pharmacare Act is meant to provide universal access to Diabetes medication and contraceptives, making those pharmaceuticals free at the point of access for people covered by public health insurance. In order to implement that vision, the federal government needs to sign funding agreements with the provinces, who are responsible for administering health plans.
With so few jurisdictions enrolled in pharmacare, four out of five Canadians are not benefiting from the program. The gap is leaving a patchwork of coverage across the country.