Pharmacare advisory committee report set to be made public
By Canadian Press on November 21, 2025.
OTTAWA — The federal government is set to release a report today by the advisory committee tasked with determining how to set up a national pharmacare program.
The committee was set up last fall, after the Pharmacare Act became law, and was given a year to report back to the health minister.
The pharmacare law was something the NDP pushed for as part of its supply and confidence deal with the minority Liberal government under Justin Trudeau.
It called for an expert committee to recommend options for operating and financing a national, universal, single-payer pharmacare program.
A report by the parliamentary budget officer in 2023 estimated such a program would cost $11.2 billion more than the government currently spends on medications and other costs.
The current minority Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney set aside no new funding for pharmacare in its recent budget.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2025.
Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
11-10
It’s about time the government made progress on a national pharmacare plan. Prescription costs have been a real struggle for many Canadians, especially seniors and families managing chronic conditions. I was reading BlueChew reviews recently, and it reminded me how access and affordability vary so much depending on where you live or what coverage you have. If done right, pharmacare could finally level the playing field. But without clear funding in the latest budget, it feels like another promise waiting for real action. Hopefully, this report sparks something more tangible than another round of political talking points.