The Ontario College of Pharmacists has submitted its response to the Ministry of Finance’s latest consultation on regulating Preferred Provider Networks (PPNs), which closed on July 28, 2025. This marks the second consultation in the past year, and further engagement is expected.
As Ontario’s pharmacy regulator, the College plays a key role in advising government on how proposed changes to PPNs could affect pharmacy patients. Our response highlights long-standing concerns about restrictive PPN arrangements and their impact on patient care, while emphasizing the need to protect timely, reliable access to affordable medications.
Key Points from the College’s Submission
- Strengthening Oversight and Patient Protections
The College recommends ways to improve the proposals and outlines how it could play a key role in either or both of those models. This includes setting transparent rules and ensuring that any model protects patient autonomy, informed consent, continuity of care, and equitable access to pharmacies and medications. - Upholding Professional Standards
We stress the importance of maintaining the Standards of Practice, Standards of Operation, and the Code of Ethics in rulemaking related to how either model would be implemented. This includes establishing effective oversight that reinforces the integrity of pharmacists as healthcare professionals who are entrusted with always making decisions in the patient’s best interests. - Need for More Information
Our submission points out that additional details are needed to help regulators, system partners, and the public provide meaningful input as the government refines its approach.
Background and Next Steps
Since 2018, the College has raised concerns about closed PPNs, including risks of fragmented and diminished continuity of care, access inequities, reduced patient autonomy, and the subsequent effect these can have on the delivery of consistently safe care to Ontarians. In March 2024, we re-ignited the conversation about PPNs and in July of the same year established a zero-tolerance position that articulates the nature of the regulatory concerns associated with such arrangements.
The Ministry’s proposals aim to regulate–not eliminate–PPNs. Our response is in keeping with a commitment to provide constructive feedback to the government including what role the College could play, and the adjustments needed in their proposals to address our well-established concerns. In doing so, we also reinforce that the College’s oversight authority and ability to act must be preserved and even strengthened.
We anticipate that there will be more opportunities to provide additional feedback to the government supplementary to this submission. The Ministry of Finance has committed to ongoing engagement with the College, and we expect that we are still several steps away from understanding the precise approach the government will move forward with along with clarity on what our involvement in any approach they take might be. As discussed at the June 2025 Board meeting, this will be key to the Board determining what additional steps or policy measures will be needed especially if regulatory concerns or oversight gaps remain that continue to put quality patient care underpinned by the practice and ethical standards of the profession at risk.
A further update will be provided at the Board meeting in September and in materials posted with the meeting package in the weeks prior. By that time, we hope to be able to provide more information on the government’s next steps and the additional policy work the College should prioritize subject to further Board input and direction.
Read the College’s full submission to the Ministry of Finance’s latest consultation on regulating Preferred Provider Networks (PPNs).