From: Katherine Fierlbeck and Rosalie WyonchTo: Healthcare observersRe: Virtual Care Is Here to Stay. Provinces Must Close the Governance Gaps Now Canada didn’t just experiment with virtual care during the pandemic, it normalized it. Patients and clinicians discovered what was always true: for a wide range of needs, seeing a provider by phone, video, or […]
Access to virtual care varies considerably across the country. In British Columbia and Newfoundland, in 2023, more than seven out of 10 people used virtual healthcare, while in Quebec and PEI, less than a third did. Provinces have developed differing regulations, billing rules, and licensing approaches for virtual care that affect population access, the balance […]
December 18, 2025 – Virtual care is now embedded in how Canadians access healthcare. But provincial rules have not kept pace with its rapid expansion, creating a fragmented system that risks worsening inequities and undermining continuity of care, according to a new report by the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Disconnected: Inside Canada’s Patchwork of Virtual […]
Virtual care has rapidly expanded across Canada, improving convenience and access for many but also creating a fragmented governance landscape. Provinces differ widely in how they regulate, fund and integrate virtual care, making cross-border delivery complex and leaving major gaps in continuity of care for patients navigating their journey through the health system. Despite efforts […]
December 16, 2025 – After more than two decades of reform, Quebec’s primary care system continues to deliver some of the poorest access outcomes in Canada, despite rising physician numbers, significant public investment, and repeated structural changes. These reforms have failed to address the root causes of the crisis and, without sweeping structural changes, access […]
Malgré l’augmentation du nombre de médecins, des investissements importants et de multiples changements structurels, les réformes des soins primaires au Québec au cours des deux dernières décennies ont entraîné des améliorations limitées de l’accès. Près d’un quart des Québécois n’ont toujours pas de médecin de famille, et les urgences demeurent fortement sollicitées par des cas […]
16 décembre 2025 – Après plus de deux décennies de réformes, le système de soins primaires du Québec continue d’afficher certains des pires résultats d’accès au Canada, malgré une augmentation du nombre de médecins, des investissements publics importants et de multiples changements structurels. Selon un nouveau rapport de l’Institut C.D. Howe, ces réformes n’ont pas […]
Despite increased physician supply, substantial investment, and multiple structural changes, Quebec’s primary care reforms over the past two decades have yielded limited improvements in access. Over one-quarter of Quebecers still lack a regular provider, and emergency rooms remain heavily burdened by primary-care-treatable cases. Coercive policies such as regional medical staffing plans, mandatory hospital work, and […]
From: Katherine Fierlbeck To: Health system observersDate: December 4, 2025Re: Alberta’s proposed health insurance changes (III) After our overview of Alberta’s proposed health system changes, and how they may fit with the Canada Health Act, it’s time to talk about the implications. Alberta is proposing to create a new category of “flexibly participating” physicians and […]
From: Katherine Fierlbeck To: Health system observersDate: December 3, 2025Re: Alberta’s proposed health insurance changes (II) Alberta’s proposed legislation making changes to public health insurance has the potential to create a dual public-private practice system that would be unique in Canada. Let’s look at some of the legal intricacies of the proposed changes and whether […]
From: Katherine Fierlbeck To: Health system observersDate: December 2, 2025Re: Alberta’s proposed health insurance changes (I) The Alberta government is proposing to revise its public health insurance legislation. What is the nature of these changes, and are the implications if they come into force? This Memo provides an overview of the policy changes. The revisions […]
From: Johanne Chambers and William DempsterTo: Pharma policy watchersDate: November 28, 2025Re: Faster deals or faster access? Evaluating the pCPA’s new drug negotiation pathways Canada’s drug price negotiator for public drug plans is embarking on consultations about creating two new pathways to speed drug coverage. The goal of accelerating timelines is encouraging, and this initiative […]
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From: Katherine Fierlbeck and Rosalie WyonchTo: Healthcare observersRe: Virtual Care Is Here to Stay. Provinces Must Close the Governance Gaps Now Canada didn’t just experiment with virtual care during the pandemic, it normalized it. Patients and clinicians discovered what was always true: for a wide range of needs, seeing a provider by phone, video, or […] 
Access to virtual care varies considerably across the country. In British Columbia and Newfoundland, in 2023, more than seven out of 10 people used virtual healthcare, while in Quebec and PEI, less than a third did. Provinces have developed differing regulations, billing rules, and licensing approaches for virtual care that affect population access, the balance […] 
Virtual care has rapidly expanded across Canada, improving convenience and access for many but also creating a fragmented governance landscape. Provinces differ widely in how they regulate, fund and integrate virtual care, making cross-border delivery complex and leaving major gaps in continuity of care for patients navigating their journey through the health system. Despite efforts […] 
Malgré l’augmentation du nombre de médecins, des investissements importants et de multiples changements structurels, les réformes des soins primaires au Québec au cours des deux dernières décennies ont entraîné des améliorations limitées de l’accès. Près d’un quart des Québécois n’ont toujours pas de médecin de famille, et les urgences demeurent fortement sollicitées par des cas […] 
From: Katherine Fierlbeck To: Health system observersDate: December 4, 2025Re: Alberta’s proposed health insurance changes (III) After our overview of Alberta’s proposed health system changes, and how they may fit with the Canada Health Act, it’s time to talk about the implications. Alberta is proposing to create a new category of “flexibly participating” physicians and […] 
From: Johanne Chambers and William DempsterTo: Pharma policy watchersDate: November 28, 2025Re: Faster deals or faster access? Evaluating the pCPA’s new drug negotiation pathways Canada’s drug price negotiator for public drug plans is embarking on consultations about creating two new pathways to speed drug coverage. The goal of accelerating timelines is encouraging, and this initiative […]