A legacy that reshaped pharmacy practice: Glenn Rodrigues named 2026 Canadian Pharmacist of the Year
March 30, 2026 (Ottawa/Dartmouth): Glenn Rodrigues has been named the 2026 Canadian Pharmacist of the Year by the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA), recognizing his transformative leadership in advancing community pharmacy practice and expanding pharmacists’ role in primary care across Nova Scotia. Rodrigues is being recognized posthumously, honouring a career that helped reshape community pharmacy practice and improve access to care for patients in Nova Scotia and across Canada.
A passionate advocate for patient-centred care, Rodrigues dedicated his career to demonstrating how pharmacists can serve as accessible, front-line providers within Canada’s health system. Through his leadership with the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia (PANS) and his work supporting pharmacy teams across the province, he helped operationalize an expanded scope of practice— enabling pharmacists to deliver services such as prescribing for common conditions, administering vaccines and providing ongoing management of chronic conditions, and improving timely access to care for Nova Scotians. His work helped establish Nova Scotia as a leading model for pharmacist-led primary care in Canada.
“Glenn Rodrigues exemplified the profound impact pharmacists can have when they are supported to practise to their full scope,” said Annette Robinson, Chair of the Canadian Pharmacists Association. “Through his leadership, he helped advance pharmacists as essential providers in primary care and inspired others to see what is possible. His legacy will continue to shape the future of pharmacy in Canada.”
Rodrigues’ significant contributions included his leadership of the Prescription to Thrive (PTT) program, which supported more than 50 pharmacy teams in redesigning workflow, implementing clinical services and building sustainable practice models. His work empowered pharmacists to practise to their full scope—demonstrating how community pharmacy can strengthen primary care in real-world settings and improve health system capacity.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rodrigues played a critical role in supporting pharmacy teams as they rapidly expanded their role in delivering vaccines and front-line care. Through practical tools, coaching and peer support initiatives, he helped pharmacists navigate unprecedented demands while continuing to provide high-quality patient care.
Rodrigues’ influence extended beyond system-level change to the individuals he mentored and inspired. A dedicated educator, preceptor and speaker, he encouraged thousands of students and practitioners to reimagine what pharmacy practice could be. His impact is reflected in the words of those he guided: “Glenn made me fall in love with community pharmacy… he inspired so many to do things differently.”
Rodrigues passed away unexpectedly in December 2025. While his loss is deeply felt across the profession, his legacy lives on in the pharmacy teams he supported, the practice models he helped build and the patients who continue to benefit from expanded access to pharmacist-provided care.
“Glenn was one of the most professional, kind and positive people I have ever encountered,” said PANS CEO Allison Bodnar. “He was passionate about patients, pharmacy professionals and our team here at PANS. He embodied our mission to support pharmacy professionals to provide excellence in pharmacy care. No matter how bleak a situation, he always looked for win-win solutions and more importantly, made others believe in those solutions as well. He is deeply missed by our entire team.”
The Canadian Pharmacist of the Year Award is given annually by the Canadian Pharmacists Association to recognize a pharmacist who demonstrates leadership and exemplifies the evolution of the pharmacy profession toward an expanded role in health care.
Learn more about Glenn Rodrigues, CPhA’s 2026 Canadian Pharmacist of the Year.
About the Canadian Pharmacists Association
The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) is the uniting national voice of pharmacy and the pharmacist profession in Canada. As pharmacists undertake an enhanced role in the delivery of health care services, CPhA ensures that the profession is recognized as a national leader in health care, influencing the policies, programs, budgets and initiatives affecting the profession and the health of Canadians.
For more information, please contact:
Tyler Gogo
Senior Manager, Communications
Canadian Pharmacists Association
tgogo@pharmacists.ca
613-293-7223