Pharmacare advocates in BC are expressing disappointment in the federal government’s proposed Budget 2025 due to a lack of funding for expansion of prescription coverage.
AccessBC is an advocacy group based in Saanich and co-chaired by Saanich Councillor Teale Phelps Bondaroff.
This organization is largely responsible for BC’s implementation of free prescription contraception coverage, and for the movement that led to Canada’s Pharmacare Act which was meant to cover both contraception and diabetes medication for all Canadians.
However, since the Pharmacare Act was passed in 2024, more than 60% of funding allocated for implementation has been earmarked in the four agreements that have been signed with BC, Manitoba, Yukon and PEI.
This will only cover around 17% of Canada’s population, meaning more funding will need to be allocated.
Additionally, while the federal government has committed to signing pharmacare agreements with the remaining provinces and territories, this has yet to come to fruition.
“Without strong federal leadership to sign and fund deals with the remaining provinces and territories, millions of Canadians will continue to face barriers when trying to access life-saving and life-changing medicine,” said Phelps Bondaroff.
“The Liberals promised a national pharmacare program, but without a stronger funding commitment, that promise will remain unfulfilled for too many Canadians.”
AccessBC says that free prescription contraception has been incredibly impactful in British Columbia so far, and has helped those with low incomes save immensely on contraception they would have had to pay for in years’ past.
According to AccessBC, in provinces and territories where the federal government has not yet signed deals, a hormonal IUD can cost up to $500, contraceptive implant costs $350, oral contraceptive pills cost at least $240 per year, a copper IUD costs $75 and hormonal injections cost as much as $180 per year.
These costs, which the government committed to covering, are falling disproportionately on women and people who can become pregnant.
“It is unacceptable that this government can find money in the budget to end the luxury tax on private jets and yachts, but can’t commit to funding coverage for basic, life-saving medications,” said Phelps Bondaroff.
“Your ability to access life-saving and life-changing medication should not depend on your income or your postal code. This government needs to commit the necessary funding to make national pharmacare a reality.”
While Budget 2025 is clear in its intent to sharply reduce operational costs, AccessBC says that studies have found that free contraception is a revenue-positive policy.
