Alberta to press on with own dental, drug plans

EDMONTON: Alberta’s United Conservative government will press ahead with plans to opt out of federal dental and drug benefit programs in favour of its own approach, even though voters rejected a similar strategy in last week’s referendum, CBC News reported.

Alberta has sought since 2024 to go its own way on the Canadian Dental Care Plan and the national pharmacare program, arguing it should receive its share of federal funding to shape the programs as it sees fit.

Last week, Albertans were asked whether the province should lead a push to amend the Constitution so provinces could opt out of federal programs and keep Ottawa’s money. Fifty-seven per cent voted no.

Maddison McKee, press secretary for the Ministry of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, said in a statement that Alberta will keep calling for “predictable, sustainable, unconditional health funding that respects provincial jurisdiction.” She said the government will continue advocating for Alberta’s fair share of federal funding for its dental and drug programs.

The province previously said it would pursue an independent path on the dental plan by 2026. McKee did not immediately respond to a request about an updated timeline, CBC reported.

As of Sept. 30, 349,000 Albertans were enrolled in the federal dental plan for 2026-27, and 91,000 of them had an approved claim, according to the federal government.

André Lecours, a political scientist at the University of Ottawa, told CBC the result does not formally stop the province from withdrawing from the programs. He said the question was really about how federalism works in Canada. Fiona Clement, director of the Centre for Health Policy at the University of Calgary, noted the dental plan is one Canadians opt into or out of, while pharmacare is opt-in, so the ballot question would not have changed either program immediately.

We reported on the legislature’s return after the referendum vote, and on how the dental care plan opened applications for 2026-27.

Source: CBC News.

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