Letter dated March 9, 2020 from Mayor Cote, Corporation of the City of New Westminster, Re: National Pharmacare Program

National Pharmacare Program

At a meeting of New Westminster City Council held on February 24, 2020, Council passed the following motion regarding a National Pharmacare Program:

WHEREAS the City of New Westminster recognizes the importance of healthy citizens as the foundation of a healthy, engaged and economically vibrant community;

AND WHEREAS over 3 million Canadians, including many in our local communities, don’t take medicines prescribed by their doctors because they can’t afford them;

AND WHEREAS Canada is currently the only country with a National Medicare Program that does not have a National Pharmacare Program;

AND WHEREAS the risk of having no insurance for medicines is high among lower income Canadians which includes the service industry, as well as precarious and seasonal workers;

AND WHEREAS studies show that adding a National Pharmacare Program to our National Health Care System would lower costs to businesses by over $8 billion per year;

AND WHEREAS recent research confirms that these gains can be achieved with little or no increase in public investment;

AND WHEREAS municipal government expenses for employee benefits would be significantly reduced by a National Pharmacare Program;

AND WHEREAS a national prescription drug formulary would support better quality prescribing, including reducing dangerous and inappropriate prescribing, especially to Canadian seniors;

AND WHEREAS a National Pharmacare plan is a sound policy, both economically and socially:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

THAT the City of New Westminster write a letter calling on the Federal Government to work with the provinces and territories to develop and implement a Universal Public National Pharmacare program as a top priority.

We appreciate your consideration of this important matter.

Yours truly,

Jonathan X. Cote Mayor

Cc: The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health All BC Municipalities