Canada introduces legislation to create a more connected health care system

The federal government tabled Bill S-5, the Connected Care for Canadians Act, to require health technology companies to adopt common standards for sharing medical records. The bill would also ban data blocking and was introduced in the Senate.

The federal government has introduced Bill S-5, the Connected Care for Canadians Act, in the Senate to make it easier for physicians and patients to share medical records and other health data. The bill is similar to Bill C-72, which was introduced in 2024 and lapsed when Parliament was prorogued. It would require health technology companies to adopt common standards for secure data transfer and would prohibit companies from blocking the transfer of data. The proposal builds on a road map developed by Canada Health Infoway and would apply only in provinces and territories that do not enact their own legislation. Key points: - Bill S-5 was tabled in the Senate and closely resembles Bill C-72 that died when Parliament was prorogued in 2024. - The legislation would require health technology companies to adopt common standards to make secure transfer of health information easier. - It would prohibit companies from blocking data transfers, an issue highlighted by a Competition Bureau study that found clinics can face long waits or unreadable data when switching software. - The government said the bill does not create a central database and would apply only where provinces and territories do not have their own laws. - Health Canada reported that only 29% of health care providers share electronic information securely, and Ottawa included data-sharing commitments in 2023 funding agreements with provinces. - Media reporting and health groups have described a fragmented records system that can lead to wasted resources, duplicated tests, and difficulties for patients and clinicians; the Canadian Medical Association said limited sharing can harm patient care and that many physicians find paperwork burdensome. Summary: If passed, the bill would standardize data formats and ban practices that block transfers, aiming to reduce barriers that leave records scattered across clinics, hospitals and pharmacies. The measure builds on a national roadmap and follows concerns raised by government studies and media investigations about a fragmented system. The bill was tabled in the Senate; its progress through Parliament and whether provinces or territories will adopt their own legislation is undetermined at this time.