C-239An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (accountability)
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on September 22, 2025
- Status
- At second reading in the House of Commons since September 22, 2025
What it does
Requires provinces to set and publish health care accountability frameworks to qualify for full Canada Health Transfer cash contributions.
What it does
- Requires provinces to develop and implement an accountability framework for health services to qualify for a full cash contribution under the Canada Health Transfer.
- Requires the framework to set benchmarks for timely access to primary care, elective procedures and emergency care.
- Requires the framework to include public reporting on whether the benchmarks are met and on the efficiency of health care spending.
- Requires provinces to publish the framework and an annual report on a publicly available website, and to review and update the benchmarks over time.
- Allows the federal government to reduce or withhold cash contributions if a province does not meet the new accountability requirements, and to restore them if the problem continues.
Who it affects
- Provincial governments
- Provincial health ministries
- People using insured health services
- Federal health officials
Background
The bill amends the Canada Health Act. It ties a province’s full cash contribution to new accountability rules for health service delivery.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Current stage. Now here
Committee
Not reached.
Report stage
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Senate
First reading
Not reached.
Second reading
Not reached.
Committee
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Not reached.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
No recorded votes yet
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalSukh Dhaliwal· October 30, 2025
“First of all, I would like to thank the hon. member for Winnipeg North for seconding this bill and the many others who jointly seconded it. It is an honour to rise today to speak in support of my private member's bill, Bill C-239, an act to amend the Canada Health Act to strengthen accountability.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeDan Mazier· October 30, 2025
“That brings me to the legislation before us, Bill C-239. The Liberals claim that the bill would improve accountability in health care, but if we read it, there is no accountability for results.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocLuc Thériault· October 30, 2025
“I would be curious to hear what those 44 members think of Bill C-239, because it does not seem to change anything in the existing legislation. The current legislation does have criteria, two conditions, and that means that we have everything we need in the law to be able to provide appropriate care.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: At second reading in the House of Commons. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.