What We Heard: Experts on Advancing Canada’s Health Data Future

Canada’s health data ecosystem is at a turning point. From paper charts to digital portals, we are transforming how patient information flows — making care faster, more integrated, and more patient-centered.

With unprecedented economic headwinds facing Canada, a connected pan-Canadian health data system is also an opportunity to improve our economic resilience by lowering health care spending, making our medical systems more efficient, and attracting investment into our life sciences sector.

On September 18, 2025, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual event on Connected Care, Coordinated Policy: Advancing Canada’s Health Data Future, bringing together industry leaders and policymakers from across the country to share experiences, successes, challenges, and strategies for creating a truly connected system.

We were grateful to be joined by leading experts:

• Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of AI
• Robyn Saccon, Vice-President, Public Affairs, BD Canada
• Blair Laufman, Vice-President, Medication Management Solutions, BD Canada
• Purvi Desai, Chief Information Officer, Mackenzie Health
• Jo Voisin, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Health Policy Branch, Health Canada
• Abhinav Kalra, Executive Vice-President, Canada Health Infoway
• Anderson Chuck, President and CEO, Canadian Institute for Health Information
• Luk Arbukle, Global AI Practice Leader, IQVIA
• Carlene Todd, Vice-President, Access, Roche Canada
• Michael Hillmer, Assistant Deputy Minister, Digital and Analytics Strategy, Ontario
• Marc-Nicolas Kobrynsky, Assistant Deputy Minister, Québec Ministry of Health and Social Services
• Quinn Mah, Assistant Deputy Minister of Health Information Systems Division and CIO of Alberta Health

Here’s what we can learn from their insights, and where the path to pan-Canadian interoperability is heading.

A pan-Canadian Health Data System as a Nation-Building Project

Implementing a pan-Canadian health data system should be viewed as a nation-building project given the significant economic and social benefits it will create, and because of the cross-jurisdictional collaboration needed to bring it to fruition. Furthermore, policymakers must increasingly view data as a national resource. Canada, due to its diverse population, produces some of the most valuable health data that can be used to solve pressing medical problems. Without a connected health data system, we are not leveraging our health data to its full social and economic potential.

“Health Data Saves Lives”

When patients and practitioners cannot conveniently access medical records, patient health is jeopardized. Fast access to reliable medical information can be a matter of life and death. Electronic medical information can also be used to identify precursors to serious diseases and diagnose them before it is too late. Connected medical technologies can likewise reduce human error in care delivery. Better leveraging health data and integrating connected technologies can, quite literally, save lives, and this should always underpin and motivate us in our efforts to modernize our health data system.

Public-Private Partnership is Key

To ensure that the implementation of a pan-Canadian health data system is successful, public stakeholders will need to work closely with the private sector and leverage its experience in the secure management of vast amounts of data, as well as in translating this information into actionable insights. The collaboration between a life sciences company and UK National Health Service, where artificial intelligence was successfully deployed to identify patients at risk of strokes, was highlighted as a beneficial example of public-private collaboration at the event.

Legislation Is Needed to Harmonize Standards and Foster Trust

Strong legislation is the foundation of a modern digital health system. Panelists spoke about how recent updates in Alberta and Quebec demonstrate that aligning privacy laws with health information acts reduces confusion and protects patients while enabling better care.

However, we should work towards alignment at the national level. The federal government has a role to play in updating privacy laws to avoid ending up with a patchwork of conflicting statutes. Federal laws should establish common standards, simplify consent requirements, and ensure access to de-identified data for research purposes.

Ottawa can also speed the implementation of a pan-Canadian system by re-introducing legislation to prevent data blocking by health technology vendors.

Ensuring Digital Infrastructure Investments in Health Care Systems Support Interoperability

A major challenge is ensuring that clinical systems talk to each other. Alberta’s province-wide Connect Care system is replacing the paper “chart binder,” allowing doctors to plan transfers and coordinate care seamlessly. Quebec will consolidate hospitals under a single digital platform, simplifying data sharing, while Ontario focuses on connecting multiple hospital and primary care systems through a standards-based electronic health record approach.

Governments should ensure that investment in digital tools and infrastructure within our medical systems is consistent with the vision of a connected health data system. Failing to consider interoperability is not only a missed opportunity, but it can also unintentionally erect new barriers to a connected system.

Engaging Clinicians and Providers

Technology succeeds only when people adopt it. Aligning with physicians and other care providers is critical to ensure systems meet clinical needs. Support, training, and clear value propositions are critical for adoption. Engaging citizens in discussions about secondary data use for research also builds trust and unlocks societal benefits.

Scaling Success Across Provinces

Innovation only has impact if it spreads. Provinces can learn from each other and scale proven solutions, reducing duplication and accelerating progress. Transparent goals, shared strategies, and clear incentives make interoperability not just possible, but achievable. Federal leadership can drive alignment by funding interoperability initiatives, establishing common standards codified in legislation, and creating transparent accountability frameworks.

Looking Ahead

Progress in several Canadian provinces is showing that digital health transformation is achievable, but we must build on this success by moving towards a truly national system. Integrated data systems, patient portals, and interoperability frameworks are more than technical upgrades — they represent a shift to connected, human-centered care. By sharing lessons, embracing standards, and focusing on patient outcomes, Canada is moving toward a more efficient, innovative, and resilient health ecosystem.

Success depends on engagement: the tools only work if people — patients, providers, and policymakers — actively use them, guided by trust and transparency. The journey toward a pan-Canadian digital health ecosystem continues, but with collaboration, investment, and thoughtful governance, its promise is increasingly within reach.

Thank you to our supporting sponsors BD, IQVIA, and Roche Canada for helping make these discussions possible.

Thank You to Our Event Sponsors