Health
How Health spent its budget in fiscal year 2023-24, shown as net expenditures by standard object from Public Accounts Volume II.
Health Canada is the federal department responsible for protecting and improving the health of Canadians. It develops health policy, regulates pharmaceuticals and medical devices, enforces food safety standards, and funds public health programs, working with provinces and territories to support the health-care system. Through the Public Health Agency of Canada it monitors health risks and manages disease outbreaks, and it funds medical research through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Department Spending
In FY 2023-24,
$13.71B
was spent by Health
In FY 2023-24,
2.6%
of federal spending was by Health
On the consolidated accrual basis (Volume I), this portfolio’s expenses were $14.65B in FY 2023-24 — see the overview and methodology.
Health Canada spent $13.71B in fiscal year (FY) 2024, or 2.6% of the $521.4 billion in overall federal spending.
Spending by entity, FY 2023-24
Department of Health
Public Health Agency of Canada
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Patented Medicine Prices Review Board
$6.84B
$4.43B
$1.35B
$1.08B
$14M
Spending is spread across the health portfolio. In FY 2024 the core Department of Health spent $6.8 billion, the Public Health Agency of Canada $4.4 billion, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research $1.3 billion, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency $1.1 billion.
Health’s share of federal spending
Percentage of federal spending, 1995–2025
A large share of the department's spending flows to provinces and territories and to health research. The largest FY 2024 transfers supported shared health priorities ($2.5 billion) and home care and mental health ($1.8 billion), alongside research grants ($1.1 billion) and new dental benefits.
How did Health spend its budget in 2023-24?
Health Canada is led by the Minister of Health, who is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and sworn into office at Rideau Hall as a member of the King's Privy Council for Canada. The minister is one of the cabinet members who serve at the Prime Minister's discretion, remaining in the role until a successor is sworn in.
Line items
Every transfer-payment (grant and contribution) program, in dollars. These are the named programs behind the transfer-payments object in the chart above. Search, sort, and download the full table.
| Category | Description | Amount ▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Other transfer payments | Contributions to Provinces and Territories for Shared Health Priorities | $2,500,000,000 |
| Other transfer payments | Payments to provinces and territories for the Purpose of Home Care and Mental Health | $1,800,312,300 |
| Grants | Grants for research projects and personnel support | $1,131,599,604 |
| Other transfer payments | Payments for dental benefits pursuant to the Dental Benefit Act | $246,548,657 |
| Contributions | Contributions to individuals and organizations to support health promotion projects in the areas of building community capacity, stimulating knowledge development and dissemination, and partnership building/intersectoral collaboration | $228,992,063 |
| Contributions | Substance Use and Addictions Program | $141,978,687 |
| Contributions | Contribution to the Canadian Institute for Health Information | $127,683,979 |
| Contributions | Compensation payments in accordance with requirements established by Regulations under the Health of Animals Act and the Plant Protection Act, and authorized pursuant to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act (S.C., 1997, c. 6) | $110,260,672 |
| Contributions | Contributions to non-profit organizations to support, on a long-term basis, the development and provision of preventative and early intervention services aimed at addressing the health and developmental problems experienced by young children at risk in Canada | $83,606,603 |
| Contributions | Health Care Policy and Strategies Program | $79,561,505 |
| Other transfer payments | Payments for proof of vaccination pursuant to the Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021 | $78,122,325 |
| Contributions | Contribution to Canada Health Infoway | $75,663,123 |
| Contributions | Contributions to individuals and organizations in support of public health infrastructure | $49,362,467 |
| Contributions | Contributions to incorporated local or regional non-profit Aboriginal organizations and institutions for the purpose of developing early intervention programs for Aboriginal pre-school children and their families | $48,159,330 |
| Contributions | Contribution to the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer | $47,500,000 |
Explore other federal departments
Health figures are net expenditures by standard object from Public Accounts Volume II, and will not match the Volume I consolidated headline totals. See the methodology for details.
