Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news concerning biotech, pharmaceutical manufacturing, drug distribution and pricing, and the healthcare providers, doctors, physicians, clinicians, pharmacies and pharmacists that are making it all happen. Every Monday, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to see GR activities in areas of the economy related to the Healthcare channel? Don’t miss this week’s updates in BioPharma.

Dates: 2025-09-07 to 2025-09-13

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ House of Commons Committee Meetings
• 🇨🇦 Canadian Federal GR News
• 🗺️ Canadian Provincial GR News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

House of Commons Committee Meetings

• Upcoming House Committee: Science and Research – Federal Funding Criteria for Research Excellence: On September 15, the Science and Research Committee will assess the impact of federal funding criteria on research excellence in Canada, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Expected witnesses include Professors Gita Ljubicic, Steven Pinker, Azim Shariff, Dr. Kelly Cobey, Dr. Grace Karram, and Vincent Larivière.

Canadian Federal GR News

PHAC Announces $10M for Community-Driven Healthy Living Projects

On September 8, 2025, Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, visited Montreal to spotlight the Notre serre 4 saisons initiative at Vivre Saint-Michel en santé, one of seven new projects funded under the Public Health Agency of Canada’s $10 million Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund. The initiative will expand year-round community gardening, develop a collective kitchen and marketplace, and deliver food education programs tailored to local cultural needs. The funding supports increased access to fresh produce and healthy eating education in Saint-Michel. All seven projects receiving funding across Canada are intended to promote community-based, culturally relevant healthy living strategies.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Ministers Commit to Renewed Housing Strategy, Introduce Build Canada Homes

Federal, provincial, and territorial ministers convened in Vancouver on September 8, 2025, co-chaired by Hon. Gregor Robertson and Hon. Bernadette Smith, to address housing and homelessness issues. The meeting focused on expanding affordable and supportive housing solutions, with renewed commitments for intergovernmental partnership beyond the National Housing Strategy’s 2028 expiry. A new federal organization, Build Canada Homes, was presented with a mandate for long-term, impactful affordable housing delivery. The ministers agreed to coordinate on increasing supply and fostering innovative construction methods such as modular and prefabricated housing, while also pledging specific support for Indigenous housing. Ontario will assume the co-chair role for the housing forum starting January 2026.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Treasury Board Updates Red Tape Review, Plans Faster Drug Approvals

On September 8, President of the Treasury Board Hon. Shafqat Ali released progress reports from the 60-day red tape review exercise, outlining nearly 500 initiatives to reduce duplication and service costs. Among the proposed changes is the acceleration of access to new drugs for Canadians. The Red Tape Reduction Office is set to lead further horizontal reviews, collaborating with provinces and regulatory partners. The approach aims to expedite project reviews across sectors relevant to healthcare, increase productivity, and reduce regulatory barriers for business.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Federal Funding Supports Research on Veteran Homelessness

A federal investment of $225,000 has been allocated to the Assembly of First Nations for research into homelessness among First Nations Veterans in Ottawa. The research will examine factors driving homelessness, including enfranchisement and forced migration, and evaluate gaps in support services. The findings are expected to inform governments, providers, and Indigenous partners on enhancing services for veterans facing housing challenges.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Update: Revocation of Registration for ARH Healthcare Foundation and Kinistino Health Care Auxiliary

The Canada Revenue Agency published a list of charities whose registrations have been revoked, including ARH Healthcare Foundation in Edmonton and Kinistino Health Care Auxiliary No. 7. These changes may affect access to associated grants and charitable funding streams for healthcare initiatives previously supported by these organizations.

Sources: Gazette, Part I: www.gazette.gc.ca

Statistics Canada Releases 2023–2025 Provisional Death Counts

Statistics Canada released updated adjusted death counts from the Canadian Vital Statistics Death Database, covering January 2023 to July 2025. The Provisional Deaths Dashboard offers insights into recent mortality trends across provinces, including interactive visualizations useful for health system analysis. The release provides health sector stakeholders with data on population health changes and can inform forecasting models.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

Infographic Details Activity Limitations in Canadian Tradespeople

Statistics Canada published an infographic on September 10 outlining activity limitations among certified tradespeople and the general population in 2021. While focused on trades, the dataset may offer insights relevant to occupational health, disability prevalence, and workforce planning in health-related trades and support services.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

Canadian Provincial GR News

Saskatchewan Extends Global Vaccine Research Partnership

The Government of Saskatchewan renewed its partnership with the International Vaccine Institute, backing the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) for continued post-pandemic vaccine research and development.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: www.saskatchewan.ca

Ontario Opens New Long-Term Care Home in Ottawa

Ontario launched the 256-bed Extendicare Crossing Bridge facility in Ottawa, introducing modernized living spaces and expanded memory care, as part of the province's plan to build 58,000 long-term care beds overall.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: news.ontario.ca

Alberta Rebrands Online Health Records System to MyChart

Alberta announced the change from MyAHS Connect to MyChart, integrating acute and mental health record access across care settings and expanding online health management tools for over 1.3 million users.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: www.alberta.ca

BC Invests $6.7M to Maintain Adult Mental-Health Counselling

British Columbia provided $6.7 million in funding to support low- and no-cost counselling services through 44 community organizations, targeting adult mental health needs across rural, urban, and Indigenous communities.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: news.gov.bc.ca

Ontario Breaks Ground for 224-Bed Long-Term Care Home in Peterborough

Ontario began construction on the peopleCare Peterborough long-term care home, a 224-bed facility within Trent University's Seniors Village, with teaching and research facilities anticipated for use by university staff and students.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: news.ontario.ca

What We're Reading This Week

• From community kitchens to vaccine clinics, these programs support some of the country’s most vulnerable people: Coverage of grassroots health support programs serving vulnerable populations.
• Filling a gap in women's health: N.L. company distributing Canadian-made products to 28 countries: Newfoundland-based company expands reach of women's health products.
• PHOTO ESSAY: Newborn caregiving programs help ease parenting in India: Visual narrative on the impact of family-based newborn care programs.
• Former chair of health research agency urges Alberta to transform patient care: Alberta faces calls for significant changes in patient care delivery.
• KFSHRC Deputy CEO at C3 Davos of Healthcare™ Summit: AI Will Support, Not Replace, Healthcare Workers: Summit examines artificial intelligence's role supporting healthcare professionals.
• The rise of ‘Carefluencer’ health hacks: Exploration of social media health influencers and their impact.
• Carney commits to pharmacare agreements with provinces, territories without deals: Update on federal-provincial pharmacare negotiations and diabetes drug coverage.
• Construction underway on virtual health hub at Whitecap Dakota First Nation: Saskatchewan introduces new virtual care and robotics health facility.
• A phone line during the pandemic that morphed into a clinic providing culturally safe care in downtown Toronto: Clinic emerges from a pandemic-era phone service, providing culturally tailored health care.
• In India, training families to care for newborns hopes to close a critical health care gap: Feature on India's newborn care education initiatives to bridge healthcare gaps.

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