BC Health Coalition staff speaking alongside Minister of Health at the signing of the Pharmacare agreement at the B.C. Legislature.

Last week, a BC Health Coalition staff member stood side by side with the Minister of Health to announce that British Columbia has signed on to the historic Pharmacare agreement.

BC Health Coalition staff Ayendri Riddell speaking alongside Minister of Health Josie Osborne at the signing of the Pharmacare agreement at the B.C. Legislature.

B.C. Minister of Health Josie Osborne speaking alongside BC Health Coalition staff Ayendri Riddell at the National Pharmacare signing.

This is statement BCHC staff read at the legislature, the day of the Pharmacare announcement:

“I’m Ayendri Riddell, Director of Policy and Campaigns at the BC Health Coalition. The BC Health Coalition represents 800,000 people across the province including front-line health care workers, seniors groups, service providers, unions, policy researchers and concerned individuals who have come together around a mission to strengthen and protect the public healthcare system.

Our members have been organizing for universal, single payer Pharmacare for decades.

British Columbia’s decision to join the national Pharmacare program is a historic win that is a critical step toward protecting our public health care system and strengthening our bargaining power.

Many people rely on workplace benefits for drug coverage, but those benefits can disappear with job losses or cuts — a reality thousands could face as industries brace for the impact of Trump tariffs. A universal Pharmacare plan can ensure people have access to the life-saving medications they need, no matter their employment status.

Recently one of our member reps., Rowan Burdge, shared that although she has employer provided benefits, she spent more than $10,000-12,000 out of pocket this year to cover the cost of insulin, testing strips and her insulin pump, which is considered life sustaining treatment for type 1 Diabetes. And if she wasn’t able to, she would probably die. When I told Rowan about this announcement she was happy but urged that all the life saving medications that people depend on be added to the program so no one is left behind.”

Beyond its immediate impact on British Columbians, Universal, single-payer Pharmacare is crucial. By leveraging bulk purchasing, we can drive down skyrocketing drug prices, relieve pressure on public resources, and generate billions in annual savings.

Drugs are the second biggest expenditure in our health care system. Canada spends even more on drugs than on doctors and health care workers. US and other foreign owned Pharmaceutical companies take advantage of our fractured system to set prices high. By negotiating drug prices through bulk purchasing, we strengthen our bargaining power which will significantly lower prices for medication. This is why every other developed country that has a public health care system includes Pharmacare - and as a consequence spends much less than us. Pharmacare saves lives and money.

Today, BC is providing a powerful precedent for other provinces. The BC government coverage of contraceptives was already an example of the best version of Pharmacare and by using the additional funding provided by the Federal government to include medications for menopausal symptoms. BC is laying the groundwork to expand coverage beyond the initial drug classes and move us closer to full, universal prescription drug coverage.

Now, we need every province to step up and the program to be expanded so that we can benefit from the full promise of Pharmacare.“