The wrong people are being asked to pay for Canada’s crisis in health care

Posted on February 6, 2026 in Inclusion Policy Context

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TheStar.com – Opinion/Contributors
Feb. 6, 2026.   By Mostafa Al-A’sar, Contributor

Last week, Ottawa announced changes to the Interim Federal Health Program(IFHP). Starting on May 1, 2026, beneficiaries such as asylum seekers and refugees will be required to copay 30 per cent of the cost of supplemental health benefits, in addition to a $4 for every prescription filled or renewed.

As someone who arrived in Canada through a legal refugee pathway, I can attest to the consequences of these new restrictions. During my time living in shelters, I met many refugees who were in urgent need of medical care. These changes will make it harder for those who are already struggling with basic needs, and risk having a severe impact on the physical and mental health of refugees and protected persons.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stated that the introduction of co-payments aims to keep supplemental health care accessible for eligible beneficiaries while responsibly “managing growing demand.”

This assessment is partially accurate. Canada is facing a health care crisis marked by physician shortages, long wait times and increasing demand. However, such efforts must not come at the expense of communities that are already marginalized and in dire need. Refugees should not be made to bear the cost of addressing systemic failures in Canada’s health care system that has resulted from years of mismanagement.

What then is the real objective behind this policy change? Managing demand through these measures will neither resolve the crisis nor ease pressure on health services, given the relatively small size of the refugee population compared to the total population. Nor will it address the ongoing shortage of physicians.

Before coming to Canada, I completed the required medical procedures, including receiving all mandated vaccinations. The IRCC instructed the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to carry out specific medical examinations and to submit the most recent results together with a complete medical history, any chronic conditions, prescribed medications, special needs, or required followup care.

Refugees and asylum seekers who did not undergo this process and instead filed their claims after arrival may not even be aware of underlying medical issues.

In such situations, the IFHP plays a vital role. It provides temporary coverage to refugees, asylum seekers, and protected persons until they are transferred into provincial health care systems. Beneficiaries are not required to pay for “essential” health services.

The core issue lies in how “essential” care is defined, which basically excludes dental care, vision care, and mental health needs. Many Canadians rely on work insurance to cover these “supplemental” — a benefit that newcomers often do not have.

Any approach to supporting this marginalized group must account for their specific circumstances. What is considered supplemental for the general population may be indispensable for refugees. The only tangible outcome of these changes will be further harm to the public health of newly arrived immigrants, people who need this support most in order to rebuild their lives, integrate into society, and contribute productively.

Refugees often arrive in Canada with no financial resources or savings, and in some cases take on government loans to cover airfare. It is unreasonable to expect them to pay medical expenses immediately upon arrival, particularly given that their limited means are part of the reason they arrive in the first place.

This also applies to dental care, physiotherapy, and mental health treatment. For refugees, these services are not optional; they are essential, and paying 30 per cent of their cost is simply not feasible.

Many individuals who have survived war zones or conflict, or who endured prolonged detention and torture, suffer from physical conditions such as chronic back and joint pain, as well as psychological conditions including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is neither humane nor rational to classify dental care, mental health treatment, or physiotherapy as “supplemental” in such cases. These services are necessary interventions that enable individuals to recover and regain a functional, stable life.

Rather than resolving the crisis, these changes will deepen it; will cause refugees to lose faith in their new homeland that risks turning its back on them, and burdening with the cost of a problem they did not create. The government bears both an administrative and moral responsibility to pursue real solutions and to stop shifting blame onto vulnerable and marginalized communities.

Mostafa Al-A’sar is an award-winning Egyptian writer and journalist covering human rights and global affairs.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/the-wrong-people-are-being-asked-to-pay-for-canadas-crisis-in-health-care/article_4320f4ea-6431-4a52-8b10-8fb021bfce3e.html?source=newsletter&utm_content=a04&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_email=0C810E7AE4E7C3CEB3816076F6F9881B&utm_campaign=top_30108

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