Recognizing Pharmacists’ Expanding Role in Canadian Healthcare

As Pharmacist Appreciation Month was celebrated across Canada last month, it’s an important time to reflect on the evolving role of pharmacists in our healthcare system. With increasing pressures on primary care and ongoing physician shortages, pharmacists have stepped up to fill critical gaps—offering accessible, timely care for patients. In addition, our new white paper, Pharmacists’ View on their Expanding Role in Canada, which is based on results of a pulse survey with n=100 pharmacists across Canada (conducted March 5 to March 10, 2025) provides insight on how they feel about these recent changes and what more could be done to enhance their role in primary care. To learn more about Leger Healthcare’s expertise and full range of services, please contact us at solutions@leger360.com.

Over the past decade, pharmacists’ scope of practice has expanded significantly. They are no longer just medication dispensers but essential healthcare providers who assess, prescribe, and manage patient care in ways that reduce strain on hospitals and physician offices. This trend is evidenced by the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) who updated their professional competencies in October 2024, which reinforces pharmacists’ expanded role in patient care, particularly in prescribing and chronic disease management.

Each province has taken a different approach to expanding pharmacists’ authority, but the overall trend is clear: pharmacists are becoming a more integral part of patient care.

• Alberta has been a leader in pharmacist scope of practice, granting prescribing authority as early as 2006. Pharmacists in the province can assess and prescribe for a wide range of conditions, manage select chronic diseases, and even run pharmacist-led clinics.

• British Columbia has recently expanded pharmacists’ authority. In 2023, pharmacists gained prescribing rights for minor ailments, and as of August 30, 2024, they can now order and interpret lab tests, allowing for better medication management and reducing the need for physician intervention.

• Manitoba somewhat lags behind other provinces, however, they have made recent steps to expand their role by authorizing pharmacists to write prescriptions for urinary tract infections, allergies, rashes, and hemorrhoids, among others – a move aimed at improving access to timely treatment. This move builds on the province’s earlier endeavor, which saw the introduction of Extended Practice Pharmacists (EPPh), who can prescribe medication within their specialty area, which could include conditions like diabetes and respiratory diseases.

• Saskatchewan continues to expand pharmacists’ roles in both acute and chronic care. As of September 2024, pharmacists can now test for strep throat and ear infections through on site rapid diagnostic testing, and can then prescribe medication necessary to treat —which is a step toward reducing physician visits for common conditions. Additionally, the Pharmacy Care Pilot Project, launched in December 2023, enables select pharmacists to manage and prescribe medication for certain chronic conditions.

• Ontario has been gradually expanding pharmacists’ responsibilities. In the beginning of 2023, they gained the ability to prescribe for 13 minor ailments, with an additional six coming at the end of the year. The province is actively reviewing an expansion of this list. Ontario has also launched pharmacist-led clinics to improve chronic disease management and reduce strain on primary care services.

• Quebec pharmacists have long had prescribing authority for specific minor ailments, as well as the ability to renew and adjust prescriptions. They continue to play a critical role in alleviating primary care shortages, particularly as the province struggles with physician availability.

• Atlantic Canada has embraced pharmacists’ expanded role, with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick at the forefront. These provinces have launched pharmacist-led programs for chronic disease management, and public awareness of pharmacists’ prescribing authority is among the highest in Canada. Patients in these provinces are increasingly turning to pharmacists for primary care services, particularly in rural areas where physician shortages are most acute.

These changes signal a broader shift toward integrating pharmacists more deeply into Canada’s primary healthcare model. With pharmacist-led clinics emerging in multiple provinces and pilot programs exploring chronic disease management roles, the industry must adapt to this shift.

• For policymakers: Continued legislative support is needed to optimize pharmacists’ contributions and expand funding models that recognize their growing responsibilities.
• For pharmaceutical companies: The evolving role of pharmacists presents new opportunities for engagement, education, and partnerships.
• For healthcare providers: Collaboration with pharmacists can improve patient outcomes, streamline medication management, and alleviate the burden on family physicians.

Pharmacists across Canada are clearly stepping into a broader, more impactful role in primary care—but what do they think about these changes, and what challenges still lie ahead? Our new whitepaper, Pharmacists’ View on their Expanding Role in Canada, dives deeper into these questions, offering firsthand insights from pharmacists themselves. Discover how confident they feel in prescribing for minor ailments, how patients are responding to pharmacist-led care, and what barriers—like inconsistent reimbursement and increased workloads—may be limiting their full potential.

If you’re a healthcare leader, policymaker, or industry partner looking to better understand this evolving landscape, download the whitepaper to explore how pharmacists are reshaping Canadian healthcare—and what support they’ll need to continue making a difference.