Issue
Healthcare
Canada Health Transfer levels, the federal-provincial split on what counts as universal coverage, the post-2023 federal-provincial-territorial agreement that committed $46 billion in additional federal funding over 10 years, and the bilateral health-care agreements that translated that money into specific provincial priorities (mental health, primary care, surgical wait times, health data). Pharmacare (Bill C-64 in 2024 brought in federal coverage for contraception and diabetes medications), the Canadian Dental Care Plan rollout (Bill C-32 in 2022, expanded under Bill C-47 in 2023), federal interoperability rules for electronic health records (Bill C-72), and the provincial-by-provincial expansion of for-profit surgical capacity for cataracts, MRIs, hips, and knees under the Canada Health Act framework are the active flashpoints in 2025.
Where parties stand
Compare side-by-sideThe Alberta NDP under Naheed Nenshi (since June 22, 2024, succeeding Rachel Notley) opposed the Smith UCP government's breakup of Alberta Health Services into four agencies (acute care, primary care, continuing care, mental health and addictions) under Bill 26 of the 31st Legislature, opposes the new for-profit surgical clinics taking provincially funded operations, and rejects the 2024 provincial regulations restricting medical care for transgender youth, with court challenges under the Charter section 7 (life, liberty, security) and section 15 (equality).
Source- BC New Democratic PartyBC NDP
The BC NDP under Premier David Eby has committed to recruiting 3,000 new family doctors and nurse practitioners through the BC Family Doctor Bonus program (paying graduating physicians up to $295,000 over four years to commit to family practice), opened seven new Urgent Primary Care Centres, expanded the BC PharmaCare formulary to cover over 100 new medications in 2024, and committed to building 30 new long-term-care facilities across the province by 2031. Opposes for-profit private clinics taking publicly funded surgical contracts.
Source - Bloc QuébécoisBLOC
The Bloc Quebecois insists that healthcare is the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces under sections 92(7) and 92(16) of the Constitution Act, 1867. Demands a Canada Health Transfer (CHT) increase to 35 percent of provincial healthcare costs (from the current approximately 22 percent per the 2023 federal-provincial 10-year $196 billion CHT increase that Quebec rejected as insufficient). Opposes federal direct delivery of dental care, pharmacare, and mental-health programs in Quebec, demanding unconditional transfers respecting Quebec jurisdiction. Negotiated and signed the asymmetrical March 2023 Quebec-federal CHT agreement giving Quebec full administrative autonomy.
Source The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government under Premier Francois Legault passed Bill 15 (Loi visant à rendre le système de santé et de services sociaux plus efficace, R.S.Q. 2023, c. 34) creating the Santé Québec mega-agency that centralizes the 30 prior regional health authorities into a single Crown corporation effective December 1, 2023. Signed the federal-Quebec Asymmetrical Health Care Agreement (March 2023, providing Quebec full administrative autonomy over the $26-billion 10-year CHT increase), opened the new CHUM and CUSM mega-hospitals in Montreal (the largest in Canadian history), and continues to defend Quebec's two-tier authorization of private-pay surgeries at chargeable Cliniques Lakeshore.
Source- Conservative Party of CanadaCONSERVATIVE
The federal Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre signed the Conservative-Liberal-NDP joint motion 2023 in support of the $196 billion 10-year Canada Health Transfer increase (working-together framework), supports expanded credential recognition for internationally trained physicians (the bill is provincial responsibility under section 92(7) of the Constitution Act, 1867 but federal regulatory support helps), calls for the federal Pharmacare Act phase one (Bill C-64, S.C. 2024, c. 20) to remain limited to contraceptives and diabetes medications without expansion, and supports provincial autonomy over healthcare delivery including the Ontario Bill 60 private-clinic OHIP-funded surgical contracts.
Source The federal Green Party supports full national Pharmacare under a single-payer model (the federal Liberal-NDP Pharmacare Act passed as Bill C-64 in 44-1, S.C. 2024, c. 20, but covers only contraceptives and diabetes drugs as a first phase), expansion of the Canadian Dental Care Plan beyond the current 70-percent coverage cap, a federal Mental Health Transfer separate from the CHT (similar to NDP position), and codification of section 5 of the Canada Health Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-6) public-administration principle to apply to any new private surgical clinic taking publicly funded contracts.
Source- Liberal Party of CanadaLIBERAL
The federal Liberal Party under Mark Carney signed the 2023 federal-provincial-territorial Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians 10-year agreement worth $196 billion (including a Canada Health Transfer base increase from approximately 22 to 28 percent of provincial healthcare costs), passed the Pharmacare Act (Bill C-64, S.C. 2024, c. 20, royal assent October 10, 2024) with phase one covering contraceptives and diabetes medications, launched the Canadian Dental Care Plan (in force May 2024, currently 70 percent of insurance-claim costs reimbursed for eligible adults under 65 and children under 18), and committed to the Federal Mental Health Transfer (a 2021 platform commitment partially delivered through the Working Together agreement).
Source The Manitoba NDP under Premier Wab Kinew (elected October 3, 2023) committed to reopening the three Winnipeg emergency rooms that the previous Pallister-Stefanson PC government had downgraded to urgent-care centres (Concordia, Seven Oaks, and Victoria), launched the Manitoba Health Workforce Strategy to recruit 400 new family doctors and 200 nurse practitioners over four years, signed the federal Pharmacare bilateral agreement on contraceptives and diabetes medications, opened the Manitoba Health Connectivity Hub for centralized health-data sharing, and frozen pharmacy fees on prescriptions covered by Manitoba Pharmacare.
Source- New Brunswick Liberal AssociationNB LIBERAL
The Susan Holt government's signature healthcare commitments include reopening the emergency rooms shuttered or operated on reduced hours under the Higgs PC government, recruiting 100 additional family doctors over four years through bursaries and rural-practice incentives, expanding the New Brunswick Extra-Mural Program for home care, and rejecting any further expansion of for-profit private clinics taking provincially funded surgeries.
Source The federal NDP under Jagmeet Singh secured the federal Pharmacare Act (Bill C-64, S.C. 2024, c. 20, royal assent October 10, 2024) as a key deliverable of the Liberal-NDP Supply and Confidence Agreement, with phase one covering contraceptives and diabetes medications under federal-provincial bilateral agreements (BC signed February 27, 2025). Calls for expansion to phase two universal pharmacare covering all essential drugs, the Canadian Dental Care Plan expansion beyond the current 70-percent coverage cap, a separate federal Mental Health Transfer of $5 billion over five years outside the Canada Health Transfer, and an end to for-profit private clinics taking publicly funded surgical contracts.
Source- Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal PartyNL LIBERAL
The Newfoundland and Labrador Liberals under Premier John Hogan (since May 8, 2025, succeeding Andrew Furey) have committed to the 'Healthy NL' agenda: expanded virtual care through Patient-Connect NL, recruitment incentives for family doctors in rural and Indigenous communities, completion of the new Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook, opposition to for-profit clinics taking provincially funded surgeries, and continued mental-health investments under the Towards Recovery framework.
Source - Ontario Liberal PartyON LIBERAL
The Ontario Liberals under Bonnie Crombie commit to scrapping the Ford government's expansion of for-profit private clinics taking OHIP-funded surgeries (under Bill 60, S.O. 2023, c. 4), supporting Auditor-General oversight on private-clinic procurement (per the December 2024 AG report finding $1,400 average private cataract surgery versus $700 in public hospitals), reopening emergency rooms reduced or closed across Ontario, and recruiting 3,100 family doctors through expanded medical-school seats and IMG (internationally trained physician) credential recognition.
Source The Ontario NDP under Marit Stiles opposes the Ford government's Bill 60 (Your Health Act, 2023, S.O. 2023, c. 4) that authorizes private-clinic OHIP-funded surgeries, calls for direct repeal of the Bill 124 wage-restraint act (which the Ontario Superior Court struck down in November 2022 in OPSEU v. Ontario, with the appeal subsequently abandoned), supports recruiting 3,500 more family doctors over four years through expanded school seats and IMG recognition, opposes the dismissal of the Public Health Office of Ontario, and supports reversing the privatization of OHIP-funded cataract and hip-knee surgeries.
SourceThe Nova Scotia PC government under Premier Tim Houston has invested an additional $1.6 billion in healthcare over four years, opened the new Halifax Infirmary expansion in 2024, signed the federal Pharmacare bilateral on contraceptives and diabetes medications, launched the Action for Health four-year plan in April 2022 reducing the family-doctor waitlist by approximately 27 percent through to 2024, and committed to ending hallway healthcare in Nova Scotia hospitals. Has resisted private-clinic OHIP-funded surgery expansion (the Ontario model) while opening expedited public-system surgical access.
SourceThe Ontario PC government under Premier Doug Ford passed Bill 60 (Your Health Act, 2023, S.O. 2023, c. 4) authorizing private-clinic OHIP-funded surgeries for cataracts, MRIs, and hip-and-knee replacements, signed the federal Pharmacare bilateral agreement on contraceptives and diabetes medications, opened 25 Urgent Primary Care Centres, expanded the scope of practice for nurse practitioners and pharmacists under Bill 245 (Health Human Resources Act), and committed to building or expanding 50 hospitals over 10 years. Maintains a $190-million-annual Family-Doctor recruitment programme launched in 2024 in response to the 2.3 million Ontarians without a family physician per the Ontario College of Family Physicians.
SourceQuébec solidaire opposes the CAQ government's Bill 15 (Loi visant à rendre le système de santé et de services sociaux plus efficace, R.S.Q. 2023, c. 34) creating the Santé Quebec mega-agency, which centralizes the 30 prior regional health authorities into one. Calls for reversal of the bill, expanded public spending on Centres locaux de services communautaires (CLSC) primary care, opposition to the Cliniques Lakeshore expansion of private-pay surgeries, and a commitment to no further private-clinic expansion under the public-mixed-system framework that Quebec adopted under Bill 33 (2006).
SourceThe Alberta UCP government under Premier Danielle Smith dismantled Alberta Health Services into four separate provincial agencies under Bill 26 of the 31st Legislature (Acute Care Alberta, Primary Care Alberta, Continuing Care Alberta, and Mental Health and Addiction Alberta). Supports the federal Pharmacare bilateral on contraceptives and diabetes medications, opened Alberta-Quebec recognition of credentials for internationally trained physicians, and committed to building or expanding hospitals across the province. Has implemented the 2024 provincial regulations restricting medical care for transgender youth, the subject of Charter section 7 and section 15 court challenges by the Alberta Federation of Labour and Egale Canada.
Source
Bills affecting this issue
- S-247Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to establish a national framework on food allergy
National framework on food allergy.
- Bill 245Provincial44th Parliament of OntarioSecond reading
Health Human Resources Act
Ontario healthcare HR package: bursaries, signing bonuses, faster credential recognition.
- Bill 312Provincial65th General Assembly of Nova ScotiaIn committee
Health Authority Modernization Act
Restructures Nova Scotia Health Authority governance, consolidating regional decision-making.
- Bill 1Provincial65th General Assembly of Nova ScotiaRoyal assent
Affordable Healthcare Reform Act
Houston government's main second-term healthcare reform. Targets unattached-patient lists and IMG licensing.
- C-234Federal45-1First reading
An Act respecting the establishment and award of a Living Donor Recognition Medal
Living Donor Recognition Medal.
- Bill 12Provincial51st General Assembly of Newfoundland and LabradorThird reading
Health Workforce Recruitment and Retention Amendment Act
Funds a Newfoundland and Labrador healthcare-recruitment package: bursaries, signing bonuses, faster credential recognition.
- Bill 270Provincial44th Parliament of OntarioFirst reading
Healthcare Procurement Transparency Act
Requires Ontario to publish private-clinic and outsourced-service contracts within 60 days of signing.
- Bill 26 (HCI)Provincial31st Legislature of AlbertaIn committee
Alberta Health Care Insurance Amendment Act
Lets more medically necessary services be delivered through publicly funded private clinics in Alberta. Critics argue it pressures the Canada Health Act.
- S-5Federal45-1Third reading
An Act respecting the interoperability of health information technology and to prohibit data blocking by health information technology vendors
Senate version of health-record interoperability + data-blocking prohibition.
- S-243Federal45-1In committee
An Act to establish a national framework for women’s health in Canada
National framework for women's health in Canada.
- Bill 15Provincial43rd Parliament of British ColumbiaThird reading
Infrastructure Projects Act
BC Infrastructure Projects Act lets the province override local-government review for hospitals/schools/transit/housing.
- Bill 50Provincial61st Legislature of New BrunswickRoyal assent
New Brunswick Pharmacare Implementation Act
First Atlantic province to sign on to the federal pharmacare bilateral agreement (diabetes meds + contraception).
- C-265Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (List of Therapeutic Products Pre-approved for Special Access)
List of Therapeutic Products Pre-approved under Food and Drugs Act.
- C-224Federal45-1In committee
An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (natural health products)
Natural health products amendments to the Food and Drugs Act.
- C-260Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying — protection against coercion)
MAID amendments protecting against intimidation of providers.
- S-244Federal45-1Second reading
An Act respecting National Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma Awareness Day
National Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma Awareness Day for paediatric brain cancer.
- S-204Federal45-1In committee
An Act to establish a national framework on heart failure
National framework on heart failure.
- S-233Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assault against persons who provide health services and first responders)
Aggravating factor for assault on health workers and first responders.
- C-239Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (accountability)
Canada Health Act accountability provisions.
- C-229Federal45-1First reading
An Act to establish a national framework respecting attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
National framework on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Bill 14Provincial43rd Legislature of ManitobaRoyal assent
Public Health Care Protection Act
Restricts how much of Manitoba's publicly funded surgical and diagnostic capacity can be contracted to private clinics.
- S-202Federal45-1Third reading
An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (warning label on alcoholic beverages)
Requires federal health warning labels on alcoholic beverage containers, following the 2023 CCSA guidance update.
- C-206Federal45-1First reading
An Act to establish a national strategy on brain injuries
Requires Ottawa to develop a national strategy on brain injuries (concussions, TBI, ABI) within a year.
- Bill 26Provincial31st Legislature of AlbertaRoyal assent
Health Statutes Amendment Act
Alberta Health Services restructuring into four specialized authorities. The largest AHS reform since the agency was created in 2008.
- C-419Federal44-1First reading
An Act to establish a national strategy for universal eye care
National strategy for universal eye care with federal-provincial cost sharing.
- C-284Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to establish a national strategy for eye care
National strategy for eye care. Reporting bill that does not by itself fund services.
- C-64Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act respecting pharmacare
Pharmacare Act first phase. Federal cost sharing on contraception and diabetes medications, with bilateral provincial agreements.
- C-64-44Federal44-1Royal assent
Pharmacare Act (44-1)
Pharmacare Act first phase (44-1 alt).
- C-59Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023
Removes GST/HST from psychotherapy and counselling-therapy services.
- C-277Federal44-1In committee
An Act to establish a national strategy on brain injuries
National brain-injuries strategy (precursor to 45-1 C-206).
- C-72Federal44-1First reading
An Act respecting the interoperability of health information technology and to prohibit data blocking by health information technology vendors
Federal interoperability standards for electronic health records and a ban on data blocking by EHR vendors.
- C-293Federal44-1Second reading
An Act respecting pandemic prevention and preparedness
Federal pandemic prevention and preparedness plan using a 'One Health' (human, animal, environment) approach.
- S-260Federal44-1In committee
An Act respecting National Diffuse Midline Glioma Awareness Day
National Diffuse Midline Glioma Awareness Day for the aggressive paediatric brain cancer.
- C-321Federal44-1In committee
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assaults against persons who provide health services and first responders)
Statutory aggravating factor at sentencing for assaults on health-care workers.
- C-252Federal44-1Third reading
An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (prohibition of food and beverage marketing directed at children)
Bans marketing of certain unhealthy foods and drinks to children.
- C-368Federal44-1In committee
An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (natural health products)
Rolls back the 2023 BIA's expanded regulatory framework on natural health products.
- S-284Federal44-1First reading
An Act to establish a National Framework on Heart Failure
National Framework on Heart Failure.
- C-389Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (automated external defibrillators)
Removes GST/HST from automated external defibrillators and accessories.
- S-209Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act respecting Pandemic Observance Day
Pandemic Observance Day.
- C-295Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (neglect of vulnerable adults)
Adds Criminal Code offence for neglect of vulnerable adults in long-term-care settings. COVID-era response.
- C-323Federal44-1In committee
An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (mental health services)
Removes GST/HST from psychotherapy and counselling-therapy services.
- C-224Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to establish a national framework for the prevention and treatment of cancers linked to firefighting
National framework for the prevention and treatment of cancers linked to firefighting (occupational cancer).
- C-349Federal44-1First reading
An Act to establish National Rabies Awareness Day and to provide for the development of a national strategy for combating rabies in Canada
National Rabies Awareness Day + rabies eradication strategy.
- C-340Federal44-1First reading
An Act to enact the Canada Pharmacare Act
Canada Pharmacare Act PMB framework. Precursor to the government's C-64 first-phase pharmacare.
- S-254Federal44-1In committee
An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (warning label on alcoholic beverages)
Federal health warning labels on alcoholic beverage containers, following the 2023 CCSA guidance update.
- C-46Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and the Income Tax Act
Distributes the 2023 federal-provincial health-deal money: a one-time top-up to the Canada Health Transfer and bilateral funds.
- C-329Federal44-1First reading
An Act to establish a national framework respecting attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
ADHD national framework (precursor to 45-1 C-229).
- C-31Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act respecting cost of living relief measures related to dental care and rental housing
First-step federal dental benefit for low-income children under 12, before the Canadian Dental Care Plan launched.
- C-215Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (illness, injury or quarantine)
Extends EI sickness benefits beyond the current 26-week limit. Aligns federal with private long-term-disability practice.
- C-278Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to prevent the imposition by the federal government of vaccination mandates for employment and travel
Conservative bill to prohibit federal vaccination mandates for employment or travel.
- C-10Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act respecting certain measures related to COVID-19
COVID-19 measures Act. Federal pandemic response funding and authorities.
- C-239Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend An Act to authorize the making of certain fiscal payments to provinces, and to authorize the entry into tax collection agreements with provinces
Restores the 6 percent annual escalator on the Canada Health Transfer that was cut in 2017.
- C-237Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and the Canada Health Act
Ties federal health transfers more tightly to Canada Health Act conformity.
- C-230Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (intimidation of health care professionals)
Protection of Freedom of Conscience: intimidation of health-care professionals in MAID context.
- C-3Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code
Adds Criminal Code offences for intimidating health-care workers, and Canada Labour Code paid sick leave for federally regulated workers.
- C-218Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (psychotherapy services)
Removes GST/HST from psychotherapy. Eventually implemented via Budget 2023.
- C-220Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assault against a health care worker)
Earlier version of C-321: aggravating factor for assault on health workers.
- C-216Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to enact the Expungement of Certain Drug-related Convictions Act and the National Strategy on Substance Use Act
Health-based approach to substance use complements drug-policy reform with treatment access.