Urgent Action Required on National Pharmacare

Open Letter - May 8, 2025

Dear Prime Minister Carney,

Congratulations on your election victory. Your government now holds the responsibility – and the opportunity – to make history by delivering on a promise long overdue: universal, public pharmacare in Canada.

The passage of the Canada Pharmacare Act (Bill C-64), and the initial coverage of contraceptives and diabetes medications, marks a crucial first step. But a first step is not enough. For too long, people in this country have been forced to ration medications, go without essential drugs, or choose between their prescriptions and paying rent.

Now is the moment for bold federal leadership. British Columbia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon have already signed on to pharmacare’s initial phase. The federal government must use every tool available to bring the remaining provinces and territories onboard. This must be a top priority – and must be explicitly included in the mandate letter of the incoming Minister of Health – to ensure all Canadians are able to access the life-saving and life-changing medication covered by this first phase of pharmacare.

We urge your government to act quickly and decisively to:

Secure national uptake for the initial phase of pharmacare, ensuring all Canadians have access to no-cost contraception and diabetes medications, regardless of where they live.

Expand the pharmacare plan to include medications for rare diseases – an area where patients and families continue to face devastating gaps in coverage.

Commit to comprehensive and universal prescription drug coverage as the end goal of pharmacare in Canada.

This is not just about policy. It is about justice, affordability, equity, and health as a human right. In a country where wealth, gender, race, disability, location, or immigration status still determine access to essential medicine, incrementalism is not acceptable.

AccessBC is the grassroots campaign that successfully fought for free prescription contraception in British Columbia. We are proud to work alongside a growing network of feminist and reproductive justice organizations across Canada who are demanding a future where no one is denied medication because of who they are or where they live.

We look forward to working with you and your cabinet to achieve this historic – and long-overdue – expansion of Canada’s healthcare system.

Sincerely,

The AccessBC Campaign