Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that Ottawa will finalize pharmacare agreements with all provinces and territories, ending speculation that the program could be scaled back. Speaking Thursday at the Liberal caucus meeting in Edmonton, Carney said the deals will be completed “as quickly and as equitably as possible,” stressing that the government remains committed to making national pharmacare a reality.
The pharmacare legislation, passed last fall under the Liberal–NDP supply-and-confidence agreement, marked the first phase of a national plan, offering single-payer coverage for contraceptives and select diabetes medications at little or no cost to patients. The law also requires Ottawa to negotiate funding deals with provinces and territories while examining models for a more comprehensive universal system.
To date, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and Yukon have signed agreements, accounting for over 60 per cent of the $1.5 billion allocated in the last federal budget. Until Carney’s statement, the government had faced criticism from health advocates worried that delays would create a patchwork system and leave gaps in access. Demonstrators outside this week’s caucus meeting urged Ottawa to move faster.
Carney acknowledged fiscal pressures but said core social programs like pharmacare, dental care, and child care will be protected in the upcoming budget. He stopped short of committing to full universal drug coverage, saying that decision will be informed by recommendations from a panel of experts whose report is due October 10 and will be tabled in Parliament before the budget is released later in the month.