Government & Policy

OTTAWA – A new Abacus Data survey has found that 7 out of 10 Canadians want the federal government to invest in the healthcare of the country’s aging population, and that Ottawa should make this a high priority. The survey was released by Organizations for Health Action (HEAL), and the results were based on a poll of 1,650 adults from across Canada. Read More

MONTREAL – Canada Health Infoway has announced the launch of ACCESS 2022, a movement to promote a future where all Canadians have access to their health information through the availability and use of digital health tools and services. Read More

REGINA – Saskatchewan’s Health Minister, Jim Reiter (pictured), said he is concerned about conflict-of-interest policies in the province’s former health regions, and wants a new, stronger policy in place soon. “I want as quickly as possible to have a consistent policy right across the province for healthcare officials.” Read More

SURREY, BC – Fraser Health is purchasing two private magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) clinics to provide medically necessary exams to patients throughout the Fraser Valley. These purchases are part of the government’s Surgical and Diagnostic Imaging Strategy. Read More

REGINA – eHealth Saskatchewan has confirmed that three employees fired earlier this year were found to have accepted all-expenses-paid trips to three separate sporting events in the United States, in violation of the government agency’s conflict of interest policy. Read More

QUEBEC CITY – In the midst of the current Quebec provincial election campaign, Premier Philippe Couillard introduced rookie Liberal Party candidate Gertrude Bourdon by saying she would be the next health minister. Read More

TORONTO – Premier Doug Ford has quietly appointed an ally to an advisory post with an annual salary of $348,000. The Ford cabinet named Dr. Rueben Devlin (pictured), a former president of the Ontario PC Party and the longtime CEO of Humber River Hospital, to chair a new body called the Premier’s Council on Improving Healthcare and Ending Hallway Medicine. Read More

OTTAWA – The Canadian government has launched a $24.9 million program to fund cross-disciplinary research in the area of artificial intelligence and healthcare. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is leading the effort, called the Collaborative Health Research Projects. A competition has been launched with the goal of bridging artificial intelligence, health research and, for the first time, the social sciences and humanities. Read More

A digital health portal giving Quebec patients access to their own data was set to launch this week. Carnet santé Québec will be available on computers, tablets and smartphones, Health Minister Gaétan Barrette (pictured) announced. Read More