Ottawa buys some breathing room on health funding, but plenty of questions remain. Plus, Canada’s measles outbreak is officially over (with a few caveats), and why getting ahead of heart disease could make all the difference.
And, on Pulse Check: chips, cereal, and frozen meals are bad for your brain. Read on to find out why.
Some funding deals — but for how long?
Some long-awaited news: Last week, the federal government announced a one-year extension worth $1.2 billion in funding for mental health, addictions treatment and home care. These programs, along with rare disease funding, were set to expire in 2027 and became the major focus of pressure from premiers across the country, who warned of a looming "fiscal cliff” if the funding ran out.
While the news provides some breathing room, health ministers say more is needed to avoid a funding crunch down the road. Dr. Bolu Ogunyemi, president of the Canadian Medical Association, is calling for longer-term, sustainable funding. Other leaders, such as Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara, are pushing for the Canada Health Transfer to grow at least five per cent, rather than the three per cent it’s set to drop to in 2028.
One less cliff to worry about 🔒
Rare disease funding, meanwhile, has secured a longer-term commitment. Ottawa has confirmed that $500 million in annual funding for its National Strategy for Drugs and Rare Diseases will continue indefinitely, removing another looming 2027 deadline from the equation.
But as reporter Ian Bickis notes, that certainty doesn’t resolve wider questions hanging over mental health, addictions, and home care.
The federal budget is expected to be tabled in the House of Commons later this fall.
The measles outbreak is over
After two years and more than 6,400 cases across 10 provinces and territories, Canada’s national measles outbreak has officially been declared over. Thing is, the country still hasn’t regained its measles elimination status, which it lost in 2025. And experts warn the threat isn’t going away: measles cases continue to climb globally and travel-related cases are likely to keep popping up.
Some, like columnist Abdullah Al Imran, argue that Canada’s fight to regain measles elimination status shouldn't stop at the border. Instead, Canada should put its public health expertise to work helping other countries tackle the disease, too.
Getting to the heart of it
Canada’s health care system is good at treating heart disease — but what if it got better at stopping it before it starts? In new commentary, leaders from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society argue that prevention needs to take centre stage.
Their initiative, One Million Canadian Hearts, has already uncovered previously undetected or uncontrolled heart health risk factors in as many as one in four people screened. And with 80 per cent of cardiovascular disease considered preventable, a little early intervention could go a long way they say — for patients and the health care system alike.
Pulse Check™
Lots of interesting studies this week...
💤 Do you sleep in on the weekend? If so, experts say 97 is the magic number 🔒
💰Ontario hid a study on rates of problem gambling. This journalist uncovered it. 🔒
🍟 Do you eat chips, cereal, and frozen meals? Expats say it can increase risk of brain damage and dementia
👩💻 1 in 3 young Canadians use AI once a month for mental health
📍Canadians want more local news on health care. What does that mean?
That's it for today.
Thanks for reading. Have feedback, story tips, or an issue you'd like us to cover? We'd love to hear from you. Until next week!
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