National pharmacare makes a range of birth control and diabetes medications free at the pharmacy counter. It comes from the federal Pharmacare Act, which became law on October 10, 2024. The federal government pays for it, but each province or territory has to sign an agreement and run the coverage itself. As of September 2026, only four have signed: Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and Yukon. If you live in one of them, you usually just show your health card and a prescription.
What’s covered
National pharmacare covers two groups of products, plus a separate fund for diabetes equipment:
- Contraception (birth control): birth control pills, copper and hormonal IUDs, vaginal rings, implants, injections and, in some places, emergency contraception.
- Diabetes medications: insulins, metformin and other common diabetes drugs, such as glyburide, gliclazide and some newer pills.
- Diabetes devices and supplies: the Pharmacare Act set up a separate fund to help people get items like insulin pumps, glucose monitors and test strips. Each province or territory decides how to use its share, so what you get varies.
Only the products on your province or territory’s list are covered. Each agreement has its own list, so a brand your friend gets free in one province might not be on the list in another.
What you pay
For listed products, you pay $0 for the medication. According to Health Canada, the coverage includes the pharmacy’s dispensing fee. It does not cover delivery fees or a pharmacist’s fee for prescribing. In BC, some brand-name versions are only partly covered, so ask for the fully covered version.
Where it’s available
Here is where things stand as of September 2026. Signing dates come from Health Canada. Start dates come from each agreement and the provincial or territorial program.
| Province or territory | Agreement signed | Coverage started | What’s covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manitoba | February 27, 2025 | April 15, 2025 | Birth control, diabetes medications, plus menopause hormone therapy and HIV medications through the Manitoba Enhanced Pharmacare Program |
| Prince Edward Island | March 7, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | Birth control, diabetes medications and wider access to blood glucose test strips |
| British Columbia | March 6, 2025 | March 1, 2026 (free birth control since April 1, 2023) | Diabetes medications, menopause hormone therapy and birth control through Plan NP. More diabetes supplies and devices added April 1, 2026. |
| Yukon | March 20, 2025 | Spring 2026 (the agreement set a start between April 15 and May 5, 2026) | Birth control and diabetes medications on the Yukon Drug Formulary |
| All other provinces and territories | No agreement | Not available | Check your own provincial or territorial drug plan |
The agreements run until March 31, 2029. What happens after that depends on future funding.
Who qualifies
According to Health Canada, you generally qualify if you live in one of the four places above, you’re eligible for its public health insurance, and you have a valid prescription (and approval, if needed) for a covered product. Your age, income and private or workplace insurance don’t matter. If you’re in a federal drug program, you keep that coverage too.
- Manitoba: you need an active Manitoba Health card. You don’t qualify if a federal or other provincial drug program already covers 100% of your medication, for example Non-Insured Health Benefits or Employment and Income Assistance. You don’t have to be enrolled in Manitoba Pharmacare.
- British Columbia: you must be enrolled in the Medical Services Plan (MSP), and the prescription must be filled in BC. If you’ve applied for MSP but it isn’t active yet, a pharmacist can help you get temporary Plan NP coverage.
- Prince Edward Island and Yukon: you need to be a resident who is eligible for public health insurance there. Check the PEI National Pharmacare Program or Yukon National Pharmacare Program page for details.
Who is left out
If you live in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, national pharmacare doesn’t cover you yet. Health Canada’s lists, last updated in 2026, show only the four agreements. Coverage is tied to where you live, so you can’t use another province’s program by filling a prescription there. Health Canada suggests contacting your provincial or territorial health ministry about your own drug plan. In Ontario, for example, see our guide to the Ontario Drug Benefit. For seniors, see drug plans for seniors by province.
How to get it
In Manitoba and BC, there is no application. You’re covered automatically at the pharmacy. PEI and Yukon also provide the coverage at the pharmacy counter, but check their program pages in case an item, such as test strips, has its own steps.
- Get a prescription from a doctor, nurse practitioner or other prescriber for a covered product. In BC, you don’t need a prescription for insulin or emergency contraception.
- Take the prescription and your health card to a pharmacy in your province or territory. In BC, that’s your BC Services Card.
- The pharmacist bills the public plan. For fully covered products, you pay nothing.
Some drugs need approval first. In BC, linagliptin, saxagliptin and pioglitazone need a Special Authority request from your prescriber before you fill the prescription. You can track the request on Health Gateway. Manitoba also needs prior approval for some medications.
For full product lists, see BC PharmaCare Plan NP, the Manitoba Enhanced Pharmacare Program, and Health Canada’s page on how to access national pharmacare, which links to each province and territory.
Things to watch for
- Assuming it’s national. Despite the name, it only works in the four places that signed. If you live elsewhere, your usual drug plan still applies.
- Brand-name products. The plans often pay in full only for the lowest-cost version. Ask your pharmacist or prescriber if a fully covered option works for you.
- Filling prescriptions out of province. In BC, Plan NP only covers prescriptions filled in BC. Fill yours at home if you can.
- Extra fees. Delivery fees and pharmacist prescribing fees aren’t covered.
- Diabetes supplies. Coverage for pumps, monitors and test strips differs from place to place and may have its own rules. Check with your provincial or territorial plan before you buy.
Watch for scams. You never have to sign up or pay to get national pharmacare. The government never asks for a payment or gift cards to release a benefit. If a call, text or email offers to “register” you for free medication or asks for your health card or banking details, don’t reply. See our scam guide.
Our benefits checkup can show other programs you may qualify for.
Common questions
Is birth control free in Canada?
Only in some places. As of September 2026, national pharmacare makes a range of birth control free in Manitoba, BC, Prince Edward Island and Yukon. Elsewhere, your provincial plan or private insurance may cover part of the cost.
Is insulin free under pharmacare?
Yes, in the four places with an agreement. Insulins are on each list. In BC, you don’t need a prescription for insulin under Plan NP.
Which provinces have signed the pharmacare agreement?
Manitoba (February 27, 2025), British Columbia (March 6, 2025), Prince Edward Island (March 7, 2025) and Yukon (March 20, 2025). No other province or territory is listed by Health Canada as of September 2026.
Do I need to apply for national pharmacare?
Not in Manitoba or BC, where coverage is automatic at the pharmacy. Bring your prescription and health card to a pharmacy in your province or territory. In PEI and Yukon, check the program page for any item with its own steps.
Can I use pharmacare if I have private insurance?
Yes. Health Canada says private or workplace insurance doesn’t affect your coverage. In Manitoba, you don’t qualify only if another government program already covers 100% of your medication.
