Health Coalition welcomes pharmacare agreement with Manitoba

Members of the Canadian Health Coalition are applauding the announcement today of $219 million over four years for universal coverage of a range of contraceptives and diabetes medications for Manitobans.

Health Minister Mark Holland (left) speaks at the SOS Medicare 3.0 conference (Feb 24, 2025, photo by John Major), just days before announcing Canada’s first pharmacare agreement alongside Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara (right) on Feb 27, 2025.

As part of this agreement, Manitoba will also provide free public coverage of hormone replacement therapy to residents.

The bilateral deal is the first federal-provincial funding agreement for Canada’s burgeoning universal national pharmacare program which was approved by Parliament in October 2024.

“This is a historic agreement to implement the long-promised universal pharmacare program,” said Jason MacLean, chair of the Canadian Health Coalition. “Manitoba is leading the way for other provinces and territories whose residents deserve the same benefits of free prescription medication.”

“Let’s make this a national universal program,” added MacLean. “We encourage Canadians to demand their premiers complete pharmacare agreements with the federal government, right away.”