Alberta pursuing own dental and drug plans despite referendum defeat on federal opt-outs

Albertans voted 57 per cent no on a referendum question that would have pushed a constitutional amendment letting provinces opt out of federal programs while keeping the money. The province is not giving up on the idea anyway.

The Ministry of Hospital and Surgical Health Services has pursued its own path on the Canadian Dental Care Plan and national pharmacare since 2024. Press secretary Maddison McKee said in a statement that Alberta will keep calling on Ottawa for "predictable, sustainable, unconditional health funding that respects provincial jurisdiction," and that the government "will continue advocating for Alberta's fair share of federal funding to strengthen our comprehensive dental and drug programs." McKee did not immediately respond to a request for an updated timeline.

As of Sept. 30, 349,000 Albertans were enrolled in CDCP for the 2026-2027 benefit period, and 91,000 had received an approved claim, according to federal figures.

University of Ottawa political scientist André Lecours said that the referendum's failure does not formally stop Alberta from withdrawing from recently created federal programs. University of Calgary's Fiona Clement, director of the Centre for Health Policy, said the question would not have had an immediate impact on those programs and that more debates are coming, including on federal health-care agreements. HighOnCity reported in September that Albertans would vote on the opt-out question on October 19.