CPhA supports Canada Health Act policy advancing equitable access to care

March 31, 2026 (Ottawa): With the federal government’s Canada Health Act (CHA) Services Policy set to take effect tomorrow, the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) welcomes this step toward reinforcing an important principle for our health system: if a service is medically necessary, it should be publicly covered, regardless of which qualified health-care professional provides it.

“Improving access to care in Canada will require better use of the health workforce we already have,” said Sadaf Faisal, Acting Vice President, Public and Professional Affairs at CPhA. “Pharmacists are already providing care that Canadians rely on every day, and this policy reinforces the important role they play in helping patients access timely care.”

Across the country, pharmacists are assessing and treating common conditions, managing medications for chronic diseases, administering vaccines, and ordering and interpreting lab tests — care that is essential to patients and the health system.

This is exactly what CPhA’s recently launched Pharmacists CAN campaign is about: ensuring the care that pharmacists are trained and trusted to provide is fully enabled and integrated into how primary care is delivered across Canada.

The CHA Services Policy reinforces that principle. It affirms that care is defined not by who provides it, but by the needs of patients — and that pharmacists are essential to meeting those needs.

At the same time, this policy sets a clear expectation: that public coverage must evolve alongside scope. Provinces and territories will need to ensure that pharmacist-provided services are not only enabled, but sustainably funded, so that access continues to expand rather than contract.

As implementation moves forward, coordination across jurisdictions will be critical to avoid fragmentation and ensure Canadians experience consistent access to care, no matter where they live.

Pharmacists CAN is about unlocking the full potential of pharmacy in Canada’s health system and this policy is an important step in that direction.

CPhA will continue to work with governments and partners to ensure this momentum translates into meaningful, lasting improvements in access to care for Canadians.

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