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 198 meetings in February 2026, up from a 12-month average of 117.2.
• The biggest moves were in Health care charities and organizations and Medical professional associations.
• Canadian Medical Association, ONTARIO HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION were more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in February 2026 Data

Expansion of Public Coverage for Non-Physician Providers

In early 2026, federal reforms mandated provincial plans to cover medically necessary care by nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and midwives. This update, the largest in decades, coincides with a surge in lobbying from the Canadian Medical Association, which engaged with the Senate of Canada and the House of Commons on workforce planning and calls to address the health human resources crisis. The overlap suggests lobbying was shaped by the modernization push and expectations that provinces and employers adapt rapidly to changing funding models.

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

Uncertainty Over Federal Health Funding Triggers Advocacy

Concerns about future cuts to federal health transfers—particularly affecting pharmacare, mental health, and palliative care programs—prompted intensified lobbying by the Canadian Medical Association ahead of Budget 2026. Advocates, especially in meetings with the House of Commons and Finance Canada (FIN), increased engagement to defend targeted funding and secure long-term support for access initiatives and health workforce stability. These efforts coincided closely with government statements outlining new budgetary directions and spending priorities.

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

Enhanced Dental and Pharmaceutical Subsidies Roll Out

Eligibility for federal dental and drug subsidies expanded in 2026, with increased benefits targeting rural, Indigenous, and low-income communities. This development aligns with lobbying from the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association to Health Canada and House of Commons focused on oral health, drug coverage, and recruitment of healthcare professionals in underserved areas, as well as advocacy by the Canadian Medical Association to Senate of Canada. While the timing of these subsidies and lobbying upticks is notable, direct organizational or policy links are not always explicit in public sources.

📎 Lobbying on Healthcare - Ottawa (March 2026 edition)

New Co-Payments for Refugee Health Amid Advocacy for Vulnerable Groups

Starting May 2026, refugees and protected persons face new co-payments for prescriptions and select benefits under the Interim Federal Health Program. This change comes amid lobbying by the Canadian Medical Association, which has engaged with Health Canada and the Senate of Canada, as well as organizations supporting vulnerable groups, concerned about continued access to essential care and administrative clarity in federally funded health schemes.

📎 Canada Interim Federal Health Program Changes In May 2026

Regulatory Modernization and Research Innovation in Focus

Lobbying efforts in early 2026 by the Canadian Medical Association and HealthCareCAN emphasized regulatory modernization and faster adoption of medical technologies, including AI and advanced clinical research. This period coincided with federal plans involving Health Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to streamline regulation and fund health innovation, signaling broad alignment between advocacy groups and the government's R&D priorities.

📎 Lobbying on Healthcare - Ottawa (February 2026 edition)

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 198 meetings in February 2026, up from a 12-month average of 117. 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 Pharmacies and personal care retailers logged 4 meetings, up from an average of 3, Health care services logged 20 meetings, up from an average of 8, Hospitals logged 27 meetings, up from an average of 10, Residential care services logged 8 meetings, up from an average of 6, Medical professional associations logged 64 meetings, up from an average of 42, and Health care charities and organizations logged 73 meetings, up from an average of 46.

Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing had 2 meetings, down from an average of 3.

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 2026-02

↳ Hospitals has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Hospitals displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

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

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

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

↳ 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.

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 Canadian Medical Association, ONTARIO HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, Women's Health Coalition of Canada, National Council of Indigenous Midwives, and Canadian Men's Health Foundation.

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:

↳ Medical professional associations → House of Commons: 33 meetings (avg 24, +38%).

↳ Health care charities and organizations → House of Commons: 29 meetings (avg 23, +26%).

↳ Health care charities and organizations → Health Canada (HC): 23 meetings (avg 13, +77%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Canadian Medical Association → House of Commons: 20 meetings (avg 7, +176%).

↳ ONTARIO HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION → House of Commons: 9 meetings (avg 1, +731%).

↳ Canadian Medical Association → Health Canada (HC): 8 meetings (avg 3, +191%).

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: 81 meetings (avg 55, +47%).

↳ Health care charities and organizations → Health: 74 meetings (avg 44, +68%).

↳ Medical professional associations → Health: 64 meetings (avg 42, +52%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Canadian Medical Association → Health: 41 meetings (avg 16, +165%).

↳ Canadian Medical Association → Federal-Provincial Relations: 26 meetings (avg 11, +135%).

↳ Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions → Health: 25 meetings (avg 4, +456%).

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 Medical professional associations → Maggie Chi (House of Commons), Medical professional associations → Tony Ince (Senate of Canada) and Medical professional associations → Brendan Hanley (House of Commons).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Canadian Medical Association → Tony Ince (Senate of Canada), Canadian Medical Association → billy Morin (House of Commons) and ONTARIO HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION → Bryn Savage (Health Canada (HC)).