2025-26 Operating context: Health Canada

Raison d'être, mandate, and role

To find out about who we are and what we do, see Health Canada's Raison d'être, mandate, and role.

Operating Context

Health Canada operates in a complex and dynamic environment, facing significant challenges as it works to deliver results for Canadians. These challenges – including health workforce shortages, availability and affordability of health services, substance use-related harms and the overdose crisis, global supply chain disruptions, combating misinformation and disinformation, and the impacts of climate change – are often beyond the sole control of the Department. Addressing such complex issues requires collaboration with federal partners, provinces and territories (P/Ts), Indigenous organizations, non-governmental stakeholders, industry, and international regulators.

Health Workforce Shortages and Health Care System Challenges

Canada's health workforce continues to face shortages, leading to challenging working conditions, high patient workloads, and significant overtime. These challenges are exacerbating strain on emergency rooms, particularly in rural, remote, and isolated communities, where closures remain a risk. Many Canadians are without primary care providers and wait times for priority procedures remain above pre-pandemic levels.

Although health care delivery is primarily under P/T jurisdiction, Health Canada plays a role in advancing shared priorities via the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians plan. This plan includes targeted funding to P/Ts through two sets of bilateral agreements:

• Working Together bilateral agreements support P/Ts in expanding access to family health services, reducing backlogs, improving mental health services, modernizing health care through standardized health data and digital tools.
• Aging with Dignity agreements focus on improving home and community care (including palliative care), enhancing long-term care to help ensure seniors get the care they deserve, and increasing wages while strengthening recruitment and retention of personal support workers across the country.

Rising Costs of Living and Prescription Drug Affordability

The rising cost of prescription drugs, combined with inflation is contributing to the rising cost of living. This exacerbates socioeconomic barriers to essential, high quality, and timely health care services, including oral health care. The effects are felt most acutely by vulnerable populations, contributing to financial hardships, and deteriorating overall health outcomes. Health Canada works to alleviate these challenges by administering federal investments in health care through bilateral agreements with P/Ts, such as those under the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases, and by supporting pan-Canadian and community-based health organizations. In addition, the Department has begun supporting eligible Canadian residents in accessing affordable oral health care services.

Addressing Canada's Overdose Crisis

A dangerous illegal drug supply, particularly fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, is fueling an unprecedented overdose crisis in Canada. This crisis has become one of the most serious public health threats in recent history, intersecting with other challenges such as housing instability, mental health issues, polysubstance use, and affordability concerns. Most opioid overdose deaths also involve the use of another drug, such as stimulants (e.g., methamphetamine) or alcohol. Health Canada is working to address this crisis through a collaborative approach, partnering with P/Ts and stakeholders to implement comprehensive solutions and provide much-needed support to affected communities. To support law enforcement, the Department is also enhancing monitoring and surveillance of precursor chemicals and is analyzing synthetic drug samples to identify their origins.

Global Supply Chain and Regulatory Challenges

Global supply chain disruptions, driven by geopolitical issues, rising commodity prices, and climate-related events, are impacting manufacturers' ability to meet the demand for critical drugs and medical devices in Canada. These supply disruptions can lead to health product shortages which can cause harm to Canadians. Health Canada, as a regulator, must navigate the complexities of a rapidly evolving global marketplace while ensuring that Canadians have access to safe, effective, and innovative products. Flexible regulatory approaches, along with strong partnerships with domestic and international counterparts, are essential for facilitating cooperation and ensuring consistent approaches to novel products.

Addressing Misinformation and Disinformation

Misinformation and disinformation can harm the health and well-being of Canadians, sometimes with serious or deadly consequences. Health Canada continues to be seen as a credible source of information and remains committed to sharing accurate, timely, reliable and accessible information to help people make informed decisions about their health and safety, and that of their family. The Department also works with partners across governments, communities, organizations and sectors to improve health information literacy. To address this growing and complex challenge, Health Canada must remain vigilant by delivering timely, evidence-based information, ensuring transparency, conducting meaningful engagement, and carrying out effective risk communications to maintain public trust and help protect the health of Canadians.

Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Health and the Workplace

Inequities persist across communities and workplaces in Canada. Health Canada is committed to promoting equity by fostering a diverse and inclusive health workforce that reflects Canada's population. A diverse workforce enhances access to quality health care for all populations, reduces disparities, and improves cross-cultural communication. Health Canada's core values of respect, dignity, fairness, and inclusion guide its efforts to eliminate racism and discrimination, ensuring that all employees are treated equitably, and that the Department's workforce serving Canadians reflects the diversity of Canadian society.

Climate Change and Health Impacts

The effects of climate change and extreme weather events such as wildfires, heat waves, floods, and droughts continue to intensify across Canada, affecting the health of people. In addition to supporting efforts to adapt and respond to such events, Health Canada has developed a Climate Change Adaptation Plan, to manage or mitigate risks to its critical services, operations and assets resulting from climate change.