National Framework for Women’s Health in Canada Act

Bill S-243 directs the federal Minister of Health to create a national framework aimed at improving women's health outcomes and access to care across Canada. To develop this framework, the Minister must consult with the Minister of Women and Gender Equality, other federal ministers, provincial and territorial health officials, Indigenous peoples, and civil society groups. The framework is meant to focus on boosting investment in women's health research, encouraging collaboration between public and private sectors, improving training for healthcare professionals on women's health issues, strengthening primary and preventative care for women, and improving access to care for underserved groups such as women in rural or remote areas, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ women, visible minorities, and those without regular access to a healthcare provider.

The bill requires the Minister to hold at least one conference with these stakeholders to build the framework, followed by additional conferences at least every three years to review progress and gather feedback. It also directs the Minister to ensure women's health is a standing agenda item whenever federal, provincial, and territorial health ministers meet.

In terms of accountability, the Minister must table a report in Parliament within one year of the law taking effect, laying out the framework's priorities and implementation plan, and publish it online shortly after. A follow-up report assessing the framework's effectiveness, research investments, and collaboration with provinces and territories must be tabled within five years after that.

Overall, this bill does not create new programs, funding, or legal rights on its own; instead, it sets out a process and timeline for the government to study, plan, and report on women's health policy at a national level.

This bill requires the Minister of Health to develop a national framework on women's health and report on it to Parliament, without creating new enforcement powers, agencies, or funding.

• Duty holder — the Minister of Health, in consultation with the Minister of Women and Gender Equality, other ministers, provincial/territorial governments, Indigenous peoples, and other stakeholders, must develop the framework.
• Content left open — the bill lists areas the framework "must include measures to" address (research investment, training, primary care, access for underserved groups), but leaves the specific design, targets, and mechanisms to the Minister rather than defining them in the bill.
• Consultation mechanism — the Minister must hold at least one conference with the listed parties to develop the framework, and a further conference at least every three years to gather input on its implementation.
• Standing agenda item — the Minister must make "all reasonable efforts" to keep women's health on the agenda at federal-provincial-territorial health minister meetings; this is a best-efforts obligation with no defined enforcement if it is not met.
• Reporting to Parliament — a report on the framework's priorities and implementation strategy must be tabled within one year of the Act coming into force, and published online within 10 days of tabling; a further effectiveness report is due within five years of that tabling.
• Oversight — the only accountability mechanisms specified are the tabling of these two reports in Parliament; the bill contains no penalties, no new agency or office, and no sunset clause.