This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning healthcare providers, doctors, physicians, clinicians, pharmacies and pharmacists, dental care providers, oral care providers, naturopaths, and old-age care providers. Once a week, 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 Social Issues. Also consider subscribing to our Healthcare - Washington edition covering critical GR news south of the border.

Dates: 2026-03-15 to 2026-03-21

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Parliamentary Calendar
• 🇨🇦 Federal Government News
• 🗺️ Provincial Government News
• 💬 Government Consultations
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Parliamentary Calendar

• INAN Meeting on Bill S-228: Amendments on Criminal Code Sterilization Procedures: The House Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs will meet March 24, 2026, to hear witnesses on Bill S-228, regarding sterilization procedures, with testimony from Senator Yvonne Boyer and Canadian Medical Association representatives.
• FEWO Study on Abuse and Financial Vulnerability of Senior Women: On March 24, 2026, the Status of Women committee will focus on financial abuse of senior women, with presentations from provincial organizations and HelpAge Canada.
• HUMA Bill C‑222: Amendments on Employment Insurance and Labour Code for Child Death: Human Resources, Skills and Social Development will hear witnesses on March 23, 2026, regarding Bill C-222, proposing amendments to Employment Insurance Act and Labour Code for bereaved parents.
• Veterans Affairs Committee: Rehabilitation Services Contract Oversight: Veterans Affairs convenes March 23, 2026, to monitor the performance of the Rehabilitation Services Contract awarded to PCVRS, with input from departmental executives and external partners.
• Senate National Finance: Bill C-15, Budget Implementation Clause Review: The Senate National Finance Committee will conduct clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-15, the federal budget implementation act, on March 24, 2026, with input from Public Health Agency and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.

Federal Government News

New Task Force Established to Enhance Access to Innovative Medicines

On March 18, 2026, Health Canada launched the Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Sector Task Force, announced by Health Minister Marjorie Michel. Co-chaired by Martin Leblanc of CellCarta Biosciences and Michelle Boudreau, former Health Canada associate assistant deputy minister, the group convenes leaders from the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology firms, regulatory experts, and policy researchers. The Task Force is charged with exploring domestic solutions to support reliable, long-term access to pharmaceutical products in Canada, with recommendations expected to steer federal strategy on strengthening the nation's life sciences sector. The initiative is positioned to affect access to medicines, job growth, and research activities across the health system, drawing on the expertise of its co-chairs in precision medicine, regulation, and the pharmacy sector.

Sources: www.canada.ca

StatsCan Releases New Health Reports on Obesity and Functional Health

Statistics Canada issued several health-related reports. The March 2026 Health Reports, based on the Canadian Health Measures Survey, present baseline estimates of obesity using physiological and functional impairment indicators in addition to BMI and waist circumference measurements, forming a reference point for future national tracking. Separately, a new dataset on the functional health of Canadian adults from 2015 to 2024 finds a decade-long decline in health-related quality of life, particularly due to increased pain and deteriorating emotional health, as measured by the Health Utilities Index Mark 3. These datasets provide new tools for monitoring public health status and inform assessments of population health trends.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca, www.statcan.gc.ca

Technical Report Details Disability Measurement Approaches in Canada

Statistics Canada has published a technical report on disability measurement, reviewing the historical context, available instruments, and outcomes associated with different disability definitions and data sources. The report assists researchers and policymakers in understanding methodological variation in federal disability metrics.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

2021 Canadian Social Environment Typology Launched to Assess Health and Social Inequalities

On March 19, the Centre for Health Data Integration at Statistics Canada released the 2021 Canadian Social Environment Typology (CanSET), offering a refreshed geographic classification tool for analyzing neighbourhood-level health and social inequality based on the latest census data. This tool supports public health and research organizations examining the environmental drivers of population health.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

Canadian Government Reappoints Dr. Paul J. Allison to CIHR Governing Council

Health Minister Marjorie Michel announced the federal reappointment of Dr. Paul J. Allison, professor of dentistry at McGill University, to the Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Dr. Allison has served on the Council since 2018 and brings expertise in oral health and health services research.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Canada Expands Humanitarian and Health Partnerships in Kenya

Global Affairs Canada detailed efforts led by Secretary of State Randeep Sarai during a March visit to Kenya. The federal government announced $11.75 million in new funding for humanitarian assistance and development projects, which include supporting medical supply chain modernization, primary healthcare electrification, and workforce training for rural health facilities. Canadian industry will partner on establishing aircraft maintenance training, as well as advancing economic and health development in the region.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Provincial Government News

Ontario to Launch Provincewide Primary Care Medical Record System

Ontario has announced a new, provincewide electronic Primary Care Medical Record system to improve care integration and reduce administrative costs for clinicians. The project is part of the $3.4 billion Primary Care Action Plan targeting universal access to primary care by 2029.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

Alberta Government Proposes Legislation Restricting MAID for Mental Illness

Alberta introduced legislation that would prevent medical assistance in dying (MAID) for cases where mental illness is the sole underlying condition, while also setting new provider requirements and referral rules.

Sources: www.alberta.ca

BC to Open New Urgent and Primary Care Centre in Tri-Cities Region

A new urgent and primary care centre will open in Port Coquitlam, BC on March 26, 2026, with capacity for approximately 60,000 patient visits per year and a team-based staffing model.

Sources: news.gov.bc.ca

Manitoba Establishes Working Group to Review Ste. Anne Hospital Service Expansion

The Manitoba government has launched a working group to assess expansion and potential regional designation for Ste. Anne Hospital, focusing on capacity and long-term planning.

Sources: news.gov.mb.ca

Alberta Commits $34 Million to Indigenous Health Access Initiatives

Alberta's Budget 2026 proposes over $34 million for targeted programs aimed at improving primary care, prevention, and physician compensation for Indigenous communities across the province.

Sources: www.alberta.ca

Government Consultations

Health Canada Soliciting Feedback on Asbestos in Drinking Water Guidance

Health Canada's consultation on guidance for asbestos in drinking water is open until March 24, 2026, seeking industry feedback regarding proposed standards and implementation costs.

Sources: www.canada.ca

What We're Reading This Week

• Personal care home in Winnipeg’s Bridgwater neighbourhood a decade in the making: New personal care home to serve Winnipeg’s growing Waverley West area.
• Want to claim medical expenses on your taxes? Read this first: An overview of tax rules for medical expense claims in Canada.
• It’s not just vaccines - parents in the U.S. are refusing other routine preventive care for newborns: Coverage of trends in US pediatric preventive care.
• Alberta promises primary care access funding for Indigenous communities: Highlights Alberta’s initiative to bolster Indigenous health services.
• Saskatoon woman starts organization for neurological disorder support: Community-led neurological disorder support effort launches in Saskatchewan.
• Opinion: To address racism in health care, we need to collect data on race: An opinion on the role of race data in healthcare strategy.

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