The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
The Honourable Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier of Ontario and Minister of Health
Legislative Building, Queen’s Park
Toronto, ON
Dear Premier Ford and Minister Jones,
Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC) extends its sincere congratulations to you and your government on the announcement of the Funding Accelerated for Specific Treatments (FAST) Program.
We applaud this important initiative to significantly reduce the time it takes for patients to access certain high-priority medicines following Health Canada approval and a positive funding recommendation. With its initial focus on oncology treatments, the FAST Program will have a major impact on the lives of cancer patients in Ontario by providing them with life-changing treatments up to one full year earlier.
By enabling faster, more agile decision-making, the program represents a critical step toward strengthening Ontario’s health system. It sets a new benchmark for patient-centred reform and proves that timely access to innovative medicines is possible within a modern, efficient, and balanced healthcare framework.
This milestone also highlights the power of collaboration. Across Canada, governments, patients, researchers, and industry are increasingly united around a shared goal: modernizing healthcare access and building a more resilient life sciences ecosystem. The FAST Program demonstrates what’s possible when we act together with shared purpose.
Canada currently ranks last among G7 countries in time to access new medicines. Ontario’s leadership sends a powerful signal that change is not only possible, it’s happening now. By improving health outcomes while driving economic growth, the government is also strengthening Ontario’s position as a top destination for life sciences.
IMC is proud to have contributed to the creation of the FAST Program and values the strong partnership with your government. We look forward to building on this success, expanding the program beyond oncology to other areas of high unmet need and continuously adapting it to reflect new evidence and insights. We also see this as an opportunity to deepen collaboration with other provinces and territories exploring faster access models. While each jurisdiction will chart its own course, Ontario has shown that bold, patient-first action is both achievable and essential.
Premier Ford and Minister Jones, thank you for your leadership and commitment to accelerating access to new medicines. We look forward to continued collaboration to ensure this policy delivers lasting benefits for patients, healthcare systems, and the future of innovation in Canada.
Sincerely,
Bettina Hamelin, President & CEO
