How much is Ozempic in Canada without insurance?
Ontario's public formulary lists an Ozempic (semaglutide) pen, which holds 4 weekly doses, at $227.94. Generic semaglutide pens are listed at $78.14, checked 12 October 2026. Without insurance you pay the pharmacy's own price, which adds its markup and dispensing fee, so the counter price can differ.
- Every GLP‑1 medicine is a prescription drug in Canada. A doctor, nurse practitioner or other authorized prescriber must assess you first.1
- Prices here are official list or formulary prices, with the date we checked them. We never quote a pharmacy's, clinic's or savings card's price, and we don't name or rank sellers.
- Canadian law bans advertising a drug to the public as a treatment for obesity or diabetes. This page is information, not an ad, and nothing here is for sale. The risks are in Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
What is the official price of an Ozempic pen?
The clearest official figure is Ontario's drug formulary, which lists every Ozempic strength it carries at $227.94 a pen.2
Each pen holds 4 weekly doses, so one pen lasts about 4 weeks.3 A year is 52 doses, or 13 pens, which comes to $2,963 at that price by our arithmetic. It is the price Ontario lists for the brand; the plan itself now pays the generic price, as the next section explains. Pharmacies set their own cash prices and fees, so this is a reference point, not a quote.2
Global News reported in May 2026 that Ozempic and Wegovy "cost hundreds of dollars a month", in some cases more than $450, depending on the dose.4
Is generic semaglutide cheaper?
Yes, generic semaglutide pens are listed at $78.14 on Ontario's formulary, about a third of the Ozempic price.2
Health Canada approved the first generics of Ozempic in April and May 2026, for type 2 diabetes.5,6 Under the national generic pricing rules, once three or more generics of an injectable are listed, each is priced at 35% of the brand's reference price.7 $78.14 is about 34% of $227.94, by our arithmetic. Ontario's plan pays the generic price even when Ozempic is dispensed.2 Supply has been patchy, and some generic lots were recalled in August 2026. See Is there a generic Ozempic in Canada?
What about savings cards and online prices?
Novo Nordisk launched a savings card in May 2026 for some people without coverage, but a card price isn't the list price, so we don't quote it.8
Global News reported that the card works at pharmacies across Canada "excluding Quebec".8 Terms change, so ask your pharmacist what applies to you. Clinics and online services advertise their own prices; we don't list them. Before paying anyone, check the pharmacy is licensed and the pen has a DIN, as Can I get Ozempic online in Canada? explains. If you have a public plan or insurance, see Does OHIP cover Ozempic? and who pays, in Guide 6.
- Stomach effects are very common. In the diabetes trials on the Canadian Ozempic monograph, 17 in 100 people on 0.5 mg and 20 in 100 on 1 mg felt sick (nausea), against 6 in 100 on comparison treatments.3
- Low blood sugar can happen when semaglutide is taken with a sulfonylurea, such as gliclazide, or with insulin.3
- Diabetic eye disease. In one trial, eye complications of diabetes occurred in 3.0 in 100 people on Ozempic and 1.8 in 100 on placebo.3
- Who shouldn't take it. Not for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2. Stop it at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy.3
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Related questions
Sources
- Health Canada. Drug Product Database: product records and marketing status for semaglutide and tirzepatide products (for example Ozempic DIN 02471469 "Marketed"; Sevmia DIN 02569582 "Approved", not marketed; Zepbound first marketed 9 July 2025). Searched 12 Oct 2026. health-products.canada.ca
- Ontario Ministry of Health. Ontario Drug Benefit Formulary: semaglutide pens (Ozempic $227.94 a pen with the plan paying $78.141; generic semaglutide $78.141 a pen, interchangeable, Limited Use; Sevmia $325.048 a pen, off-formulary interchangeable); tirzepatide not listed. Checked 12 Oct 2026. formulary.health.gov.on.ca
- Novo Nordisk Canada. Ozempic (semaglutide injection) Product Monograph, 13 Jul 2026 (made "by recombinant DNA technology in Saccharomyces cerevisiae"; storage: before first use 2–8 °C, after first use 8 weeks below 30 °C or refrigerated, "Do not freeze… do not use… if it has been frozen", keep the cap on; adverse reactions Table 2: nausea 17.0% on 0.5 mg and 19.9% on 1 mg vs 6.3% on comparator; low blood sugar with a sulfonylurea or insulin; retinopathy complications 3.0% vs 1.8%; stop at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy; disposal and Canada Vigilance wording). pdf.hres.ca (PDF)
- Global News / The Canadian Press. Generic semaglutide to hit Canadian pharmacies this week at lower cost, 20 May 2026 (Apotex: "approximately one-third the price" of Ozempic; Ozempic and Wegovy "hundreds of dollars a month… in some cases more than $450"; "availability may vary across regions"; pharmacists may substitute "in accordance with existing provincial substitution rules"). globalnews.ca
- Health Canada. Canada becomes the first G7 country to approve a generic version of semaglutide. News release, 28 Apr 2026 (Dr. Reddy's, "a generic version of the brand name drug Ozempic", for adults with type 2 diabetes; generics are "pharmaceutically equivalent to the brand name biologic drug"; "many generic medication are 45 to 90% cheaper"). canada.ca
- Health Canada. Canada approves second generic semaglutide, the first G7 country to do so. News release, 1 May 2026 (Apotex; "a generic version of the brand name drug Ozempic"). canada.ca
- Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (NPDUIS). Generic and biosimilar pricing policies (pCPA tiered framework: with three or more generics, "35% for non-oral solids"). 15 Jan 2024. canada.ca
- Global News. Novo Nordisk will slash Ozempic price for some, 'aligning' with generics, 26 May 2026 (a savings card for people without public or private coverage, "excluding Quebec"; "only a small number of private insurers cover the use of the drugs for weight management"). globalnews.ca
Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due 12 Apr 2027 · Report an error
How this answer was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above, all checked on 12 Oct 2026. Prices are official list or formulary prices, never a seller's, savings-card or coupon price, and we don't name or rank sellers. Availability, coverage and recall facts are dated because they change. Figures marked as our arithmetic are worked out from those sources. It's general information, not medical advice, and not an advertisement for any medicine. Talk to a doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write