Manitoba becomes first province to join national pharmacare program with $219M deal

Manitoba became the first province to officially join Ottawa's pharmacare program today, giving it access to federal funding to cover the cost of birth control and diabetes medications.

Health Minister Mark Holland made the announcement in Winnipeg this morning.

The federal government will spend $219 million on pharmacare coverage for Manitoba over four years and says contraceptives and diabetes medications will be provided "at little to no direct cost" to Manitobans.

The Manitoba government launched a program last fall to cover the cost of birth control for its residents.

The federal Pharmacare Act became law in October, setting the stage for Ottawa to begin negotiations with provinces and territories.

The program was a key part of the supply-and-confidence agreement between the Liberals and the NDP that kept the Liberal minority government in power for more than two years.