In partnership with
Trade, Innovation and Access:
Reimagining Healthcare Procurement Public procurement plays a crucial role in shaping Canada’s healthcare landscape, driving innovation, and ensuring patient access to vital treatments. Recognizing the need for ongoing evolution to meet current and future challenges, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), in partnership with Pfizer Canada, convened leaders from government and industry to examine best practices across jurisdictions, identify opportunities to streamline approvals, and advance value-based approaches—all aimed at building a more agile, secure, and patient-focused procurement ecosystem.
NAVIGATING PROCUREMENT DURING TRADE UNCERTAINTY Canada’s Life Sciences Sector: A Critical Pillar of Canada’s Economy
Canada’s bio-pharmaceutical industry is a key driver of economic growth, contributing $18.4 billion in economic activity in 2022, a 15 per cent increase from 2021. The sector also invested $3.2 billion in R&D and supported over 110,000 full-time jobs, up nearly 8 per cent year-over-year.1 Despite this momentum, access to new treatments remains slow. On average, new drugs in Canada still face a two-year wait to be funded by public drug plans following regulatory approval and launch2, and public coverage for new medical technologies typically takes around 30 weeks post-approval.3 At the same time, global trade risks are threatening supply security. The potential for Canada to impose a 25 per cent retaliatory tariff on $3.7 billion worth of U.S. pharmaceutical imports could disrupt access to over 800 products4, underscoring how public procurement is not simply transactional; it must form part of policies that protect economic security. Canada’s pharmaceutical and life science supply chains are deeply integrated into the broader economy, driving research, innovation, and competitiveness, while addressing the evolving needs of patients and communities. For this sector to realize its full potential, coordination and collaboration across jurisdictions, sectors and agencies must become the default, not the exception. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-621-m/11-621-m2025004-eng.pdf https://innovativemedicines.ca/newsroom/all-news/innovative-medicines-canada-urges-provinces-to-accelerate-access-to-medicines/ 3 https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/2024-12/waiting-your-turn-2024.pdf 4 https://innovativemedicines.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Tarrifs.pdf 1 2
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