By Canadian Press

Here’s what the federal government’s tight fiscal outlook could mean for pharmacare

Nov 23, 2023 | 1:11 PM

OTTAWA — Liberals and New Democrats appear to be inching closer to an agreement on proposed pharmacare legislation, but a national drug plan may be farther out of reach than ever after this week’s federal fiscal update. 

The Liberals promised to table and pass the legislation by the end of the year as part of a supply-and-confidence deal, in which the NDP is supporting the minority government on key votes in exchange for progress on shared priorities. 

It is now nearly impossible for a bill to pass before the holiday break, but the NDP appears to be willing to offer some wiggle room on the terms of the deal if it means the Liberals table a plan for a universal, single-payer drug program. 

The negotiations are taking place as Ottawa pledges to install new fiscal guardrails that would keep deficits below one per cent of gross domestic product beginning in the 2026-2027 financial year.

Health Minister Mark Holland says the economic climate is one of the reasons negotiations with the NDP are taking so long.

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Santis Health associate Marcel Saulnier says legislation alone won’t make prescription drugs any more available without more federal investment, and he worries the financial bind could prevent that from happening. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2023.

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press