Canada’s Universal Health-Care System

Canada is a welcoming, inclusive country, and one of the best things about Canada is our universal healthcare.

Each province and territory has its own healthcare plan, funded through taxes, which covers basic Medicare.

Progressives in America often point to Canada as an example of an equitable and efficient health care system.

Universal healthcare is an essential part of Canada’s national identity.

Its a public health insurance system that makes sure nearly all expenses for essential hospital care, diagnostic tests, and physician services are covered for every Canadian, regardless of income or province. This reflects our core and fundamental values — that access to healthcare should be for everyone, and the cost of care should be collectively borne by society as a whole.

In 2023, Canada spent around 12.1% of our GDP on healthcare, making Canada the top spender among OECD countries.

The federal government’s 2023 budget included the most significant investment in health care, a massive $46.2-billion increase in funding for provinces and territories.

In the United States, socialised medicine is viewed as something negative, whereas in Canada, the concept of two-tier healthcare system, where wealthier people receive better care, is frowned upon. This is because such a system goes against our commitment to equality for everyone.

In February 2024, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced a national pharmacare plan to address the high cost of pharmaceuticals in Canada.

The Pharmacare Act is a publicly funded, nationwide healthcare policy designed to make prescription drugs more affordable for every Canadian.

This legislation puts forward the first phase of implementing universal pharmacare in Canada, with a focus on working alongside provinces and territories to ensure that essential medications, like contraceptives and diabetes medications, are accessible to every Canadian from coast to coast to coast.

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is working day and night to make healthcare more accessible for everyone, conservatives are pushing to reverse and roll back this progress. For example, Ontario’s Conservative Premier Doug Ford is weakening the province’s healthcare system and promoting privatised healthcare.