
New federal guidelines mandate provinces to fund medically necessary services provided by nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and midwives.

Why it's important: A modern interpretation of the Canada Health Act, released this week, will effectively end the practice of NP-led clinics charging out-of-pocket fees to patients — nationwide.
Starting in April 2026, provinces will be compelled to fund these services via their health budgets, allowing more Canadians to access primary care without paying for it.
The new rules aren’t a legislative change in the traditional sense, but came in the form of an interpretation letter sent to provinces and territories by federal Minister of Health, Mark Holland. Initially promised in March of 2023 by Holland’s predecessor, the letter’s release has seen multiple hiccups and delays.
Ontario, home to nearly half the country’s NPs, faces the most pressure to act quickly on introducing a funding model. Ema Popovic, spokesperson for Ontario’s Minister of Health, said in an emailed statement that the Ontario government plans to connect “every person in the province to a primary care provider over the next 5 years.”
This I hope, will prevent Alberta from privatizing medical care. What happens after the 5 year period?