Pharmacists take center stage in recent provincial elections

Pharmacists are emerging as key players in addressing Canada’s health-care challenges. CPhA’s Dave Penner, Director of Advocacy and Policy, breaks down 4 recent provincial elections and how governments are increasingly recognizing pharmacists’ potential to improve patient care.

Health care in Canada is at a breaking point. Long wait times, packed emergency rooms and a shortage of family doctors are problems Canadians are feeling every day. Over the past 2 months, voters in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia went to the polls demanding action. One clear solution stood out in campaign promises across all 4 provinces: pharmacists.

Pharmacies are no longer just places to pick up prescriptions. They’ve become essential parts of the health-care system, helping patients get the care they need, faster and closer to home. Whether it’s prescribing medication for common conditions, running community clinics or managing chronic disease, pharmacists are stepping up in a big way.

The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) has long advocated for greater recognition of pharmacists as essential health-care providers, and the recent elections confirm that this message is resonating. Provincial leaders across the political spectrum are acknowledging the potential of pharmacists to transform health-care delivery and improve patient outcomes.

British Columbia: Expanding pharmacists’ role in primary care

BC Premier David Eby put pharmacists at the heart of his health-care platform, committing to expand their ability to test, prescribe and refer for more routine conditions. He outlined a vision that positions pharmacists as key players in primary care:

“We will expand when pharmacists can prescribe medications, refer and offer testing for routine conditions—like strep throat—and referrals to support the new pharmacist prescribing scope of practice, like UTI testing or renal function. This means routine illnesses can be tested for and treated, which frees up primary care providers’ time for more patients.”

British Columbia will be allowing pharmacists to take care of more everyday health-care needs, like renewing prescriptions or treating minor illnesses. This will certainly help reduce the strain on family doctors and emergency rooms, making it faster and easier for people to get the care they need.

Saskatchewan: A commitment to innovation

Just weeks before the election was called in Saskatchewan, Premier Scott Moe’s government announced an expanded scope of practice for pharmacists. Then-Health Minister Everett Hindley emphasized the innovative nature of the plan:

“Pharmacists are important members of our health-care team, and this expansion allows them to make greater use of their education and skill set to benefit Saskatchewan patients. This innovative approach provides patients with improved access to health care services by offering diagnosis and treatment in one visit.”

This expansion reflects a growing recognition of pharmacists as essential health-care providers who can deliver timely care, particularly in underserved and rural areas.

New Brunswick: A bold vision for community care

In New Brunswick, Premier Susan Holt campaigned on the promise to establish 30 community care clinics across the province, integrating pharmacists alongside other health-care professionals to create comprehensive, patient-centered care networks. She explained:

“We need better health care and reduced wait times. Our community care clinic model will bring together doctors, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, psychologists, physiotherapists, pharmacists and others — to provide a health-care home for patients — when and where they need it.”

This model positions pharmacists as integral members of multidisciplinary teams, ensuring patients can access a wide range of services conveniently and efficiently.

Nova Scotia: A proven model of success

Re-elected Premier Tim Houston used the campaign to highlight the success of Nova Scotia’s 31 primary care clinics in pharmacies, first launched in February 2023. These clinics have quickly proven their worth, with emergency room visits in the province dropping by as much as 10%. The government’s platform underscored this achievement:

“We have made significant progress opening 31 primary care clinics at pharmacies so Nova Scotians can get easy access to our pharmacists who can diagnose, treat and prescribe for some illnesses.”

Nova Scotia’s experience demonstrates the tangible benefits of integrating pharmacies into the health-care system.

Collaborating to advance pharmacy’s potential

Each province faces its own health-care challenges, but one thing is clear—leaders across the political spectrum are putting their trust in pharmacists to help fix a broken system. From British Columbia’s plans to let pharmacists handle more common conditions to Nova Scotia’s pharmacy-based clinics, the message is the same: pharmacists are key to making health-care more accessible and effective.

This shift didn’t happen overnight. Behind the scenes, provincial pharmacy associations have been advocating tirelessly to show what pharmacists can do to support struggling health-care systems. They’ve played a critical role in working with governments to expand the scope of pharmacy services and integrate pharmacists into broader care teams. CPhA has been right there with them, advocating at the national level and providing a united voice for the profession across Canada.