Help Shape Health Data Laws & Systems
- Apr 28
- 2 min read
POPLAR recognizes the power of health data to improve our health system while also noting the potential for misuse of such data. For those who want to be more involved in shaping health data policy, POPLAR is highlighting a couple of recent federal and provincial announcements regarding health data and outlining opportunities for Canadians to help shape new health data laws and systems.
Bill S-5, the Connected Care for Canadians Act
On February 4, 2026, the federal government introduced legislation that, if passed, would ensure that the information in patients’ electronic medical records is easy to share across health care providers and provinces.
Bill S-5, the Connected Care for Canadians Act would require all information technology (IT) companies whose systems are used in health care to adopt common standards to support protected and secure information exchange. For anyone interested in learning more specifics about Bill S-5, please visit the Parliament of Canada website where you can follow the debates, progress, and opportunities for public comment related to this new proposed law. If you wish to inform members of parliament about your opinion on this topic or indicate support for Bill S-5, you can:
New Provincewide Primary Care Medical Records System for Ontario
On March 19, 2026, the Ontario government announced it will be launching a new Primary Care Medical Record System. The goal of having a single EMR system is to make sharing of patient information easier. The expected benefits include eliminating duplicate patient records, reducing paperwork for doctors, and improving quality of care. To voice your opinion on this initiative, you can contact your Member of Provincial Parliament.
Other Ways to Get Involved
Some other Canadian organizations that may be of interest regarding health data include the Health Data Research Network Canada, comprised of professionals involved with health data research, as well as a group of Canadian citizens interested in health data called Our Health, Our Data, Our Voice.
Data Blocking or Information Blocking
If you are interested in learning more about “data blocking “or “information blocking,” here are some links to explore.
In Canada, Bill S-5 is using the term “data blocking” and have defined it as a “practice or act that prevents, discourages or interferes with access to or the use or exchange of electronic health information, including the practices and acts specified in the regulations.”
In 2016, the USA adopted a similar law, and they use the term “information blocking” instead, which in the American resources below has a similar definition. These resources also provide a more in-depth discussion of things people may want to be thinking about with these new laws and systems in Canada.
Journal of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA):
American Medical Association:
The Millbank Quarterly – A Multidisciplinary Journal of Population Health and Health Policy:
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association:
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