Ottawa revives bill to create digitally connected health data systems

The federal government has reintroduced the Connected Care for Canadians Act in the Senate to set standards for sharing electronic health records across systems; Health Canada says current systems are fragmented and can compromise patient care and safety.

The federal government has reintroduced the Connected Care for Canadians Act by tabling it in the Senate. The bill was first introduced in June 2024 and had passed first reading before Parliament was prorogued. Health Canada described the country’s health data systems as fragmented and said incomplete records can compromise patient care and safety. The proposed law would set standards for electronic medical record systems and place limits on unnecessary restrictions to sharing while maintaining privacy rules. Known details: - The Connected Care for Canadians Act was introduced in June 2024, passed first reading, and later stalled when Parliament was prorogued; it has now been tabled in the Senate. - Health Canada says health information is currently held in different, often incompatible systems across hospitals and doctors’ offices. - If enacted, the legislation would require standards for companies that develop electronic medical records so data can be shared between providers and across provinces and territories. - The law would prohibit health information companies from imposing unnecessary limits on access or sharing, while upholding patient privacy regulations. - Health Canada noted that about 95 per cent of physicians use electronic systems but many still rely on fax and paper referrals because systems do not connect. - The department said harmonized systems could enable de-identified data use for research, public health responses and AI development, and that some provinces and territories are pursuing voluntary work plans toward compatibility. Summary: If passed, the bill is intended to enable greater sharing of electronic health records across providers and jurisdictions and to set interoperability and privacy standards for vendors. The measure has been tabled in the Senate and will need to proceed through the parliamentary process before becoming law.