Provincial governmental health spending per capita in Canada 2024, by province

The amount of provincial/territorial government spending per capita in Canada is highly dependent on territory or region. It was forecasted that in 2024, Nunavut would have the highest government health expenditures per capita among all territories and provinces with some 19,344 Canadian dollars being spent on health care per capita. Ontario, on the other hand, had one of the lowest government health expenditures per capita forecasted for 2024 with just 5,309 Canadian dollars being spent per person, less than a third of Nunavut. 

Health spending in Canada

Canada is one of the countries with the highest health expenditures globally. Other countries include the U.S., Germany, and France. Health care spending in Canada, much like the rest of the world, has been increasing. Recent data suggests that hospitals, drugs, and physicians account for the largest proportions of health care spending in Canada.

Canadian medication costs

Despite being one of the top health expenses in Canada, the expenditures on drugs as a percentage of the total health spending in Canada has actually decreased over time. There are several drug classes that have exceeded others in terms of spending. Tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors, antivirals for hepatitis C, and anti-neovascularization agents were the drug classes that accounted for the largest proportions of total public drug program spending in 2022. Alongside the increased spending in prescription drugs in Canada, non-prescription drug spending has also increased in Canada.