Once a month, we partner up with LobbyIQ to update our readers on recent movements in the federal lobbying landscape in Ottawa. We provide separate coverage for each channel, defined by the most relevant industries, organizations, institutions, and subject matters.

Key Takeaways — Healthcare

• Lobbying activity totalled 127 meetings in March 2026, roughly in line with its 12-month average of 123.7.
• The biggest moves were in Health care charities and organizations and Medical professional associations.
• Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY were more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in March 2026 Data

Expansion of Public Coverage for Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Midwives

The federal government's April 2026 expansion of the Canada Health Act to mandate public coverage for services by nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and midwives closely matches increased lobbying related to health human resources and modernizing roles in care teams, notably from the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Nurses Association meeting with the House of Commons and Health Canada. This surge in advocacy during March likely reflects health care charities and professional groups, such as Breast Cancer Canada and the Ontario Medical Association, pressing for more equitable and accessible care, particularly amid family doctor shortages and integration of new provider roles.

📎 Canada Health Act Update April 2026 | The Health Insider · Updates to the new interpretation of the Canada Health Act | Insights ...

Advocacy Amid Threats to Federal Health Funding and Pharmacare

Concerns over projected decreases in federal health transfers starting in 2027 coincided with a spike in lobbying from health charities such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, and Colorectal Cancer Canada in March 2026, the latter engaging with the House of Commons on nationwide screening campaigns. This activity coincides with sector-wide advocacy efforts by organizations like Breast Cancer Canada, which met with the Public Health Agency of Canada, urging Ottawa to maintain or increase support for pharmacare and other priority programs, highlighting fears that funding cutbacks could undermine recent gains in medication access and specialized health services.

📎 The health-care programs on the chopping block - Canadian Affairs

Federal $5B Health Infrastructure Fund Spurs Sector Engagement

A significant $5 billion commitment by Ottawa to upgrade health infrastructure was announced in April, following March lobbying campaigns by the Canadian Medical Association and Ontario Medical Association (OMA) with the House of Commons and Health Canada (HC) focused on team-based care, primary care access, and net-zero health systems. The scale of investment aligns with advocacy for improved administrative capacity, modern facilities, and support for new care models, mirrored in recent lobbying by both medical associations and charities with Health Canada (HC).

📎 $5B in Federal Funding Being Put Towards Health Infrastructure ... - VOCM

Refugee Health Program Co-payments Prompt Advocacy on Affordability

New co-payment requirements for prescriptions and supplemental benefits under the Interim Federal Health Program, effective May 2026, created additional financial barriers for refugees just as health charities and access-to-care organizations, such as the Canadian Dental Association and the Denturist Association of Canada, intensified lobbying with Health Canada and the House of Commons for affordable medication in March. This policy shift appears to have galvanized calls from the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association for broader insurance reforms and enhanced supports for vulnerable groups.

📎 Canada Interim Federal Health Program Changes In May 2026

Section B: Lobbying Activity by Industry

This section compares, by NAICS industry, the lobbying activity in Ottawa last month to its historical average.

Lobbying activity across this channel totalled 127 meetings in March 2026, roughly in line with its 12-month average of 124. The most active industry was Health care charities and organizations, while Medical professional associations rose above its recent baseline.

The industries with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing logged 4 meetings, up from an average of 3, and Health care charities and organizations logged 68 meetings, up from an average of 50.

On the quieter side, Pharmacies and personal care retailers had no lobbying meetings this month, down from an average of 3, and Medical professional associations had 30 meetings, down from an average of 43.

Section C: Lobbying by Industry for the Past Year

To contextualize, we show each industry's lobbying activity over the past 12 months. The combined view from Section B and C shows you whether recent differences are persistent trends or a break from the norm.

Top Industry Residual Trends for 2026-03

Health care charities and organizations saw lobbying run notably above expected levels in March 2026.

↳ Health care charities and organizations has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Health care charities and organizations displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

Medical professional associations saw lobbying run notably below expected levels in March 2026.

↳ Medical professional associations has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Medical professional associations displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Residential care services displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

Section D: Lobbying Activity by Organization

In this section, we see the organizations with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity.

The organizations with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY, and The Centre for Sexuality.

On the quieter side, Canadian Medical Association, and Canadian Dental Association all pulled back from their usual pace.

Section E: Lobbying of Government Institutions in the Past Month

Every time an organization lobbies, there is a government official representing a government institution at the other side of the table. This section shows the industry-institutions pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity. Below that, we show the corresponding organization-institution pairs.

Industries → Government Institutions

Organizations → Government Institutions

The busiest industry → institution corridors this month:

↳ Health care charities and organizations → House of Commons: 37 meetings (avg 26, +44%).

↳ Medical professional associations → House of Commons: 10 meetings (avg 24, -59%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada → House of Commons: 10 meetings (avg 3, +243%).

↳ Canadian Medical Association → House of Commons: 6 meetings (avg 8, -23%).

↳ CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY → House of Commons: 5 meetings (avg 2, +161%).

Section F: Industry and Organization Lobbying by Subject in the Past Month

All lobbying activity is tagged with a "subject matter". This section shows the industry-subject pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity, and below it the organization-subject pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month.

Industries → Subjects

Organizations → Subjects

The busiest industry → subject corridors this month:

↳ Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing → Health: 73 meetings (avg 59, +23%).

↳ Health care charities and organizations → Health: 68 meetings (avg 48, +40%).

↳ Charitable organizations → Health: 66 meetings (avg 26, +151%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Agnico Eagle Mines Limited → Health: 21 meetings (avg 10, +110%).

↳ The Professional Institute for the Public Service of Canada → Health: 19 meetings (avg 4, +322%).

↳ Easter Seals Canada → Health: 17 meetings (avg 4, +374%).

Section G: Last Month's Most Lobbied Politicians and Civil Servants

This section presents a list of the politicians and civil servants who took the most meetings with key industry players last month.

Most Lobbied Individuals by Sector

Most Lobbied Individuals by Organization

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by sector) this month were Health care charities and organizations → Maggie Chi (House of Commons), Health care charities and organizations → Leslie Church (House of Commons) and Medical professional associations → Shalene Curtis-Micallef (Health Canada (HC)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were MS Canada → Wayne Long (Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)), Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada → Mona Fortier (House of Commons) and MS Canada → Rechie Valdez (House of Commons).