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Does your province cover Ozempic? Ontario, BC, Alberta, Quebec and others compared

What each public drug plan we checked says about semaglutide, with the conditions and the date. Weight loss is a different answer.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished 12 Oct 20269 min read19 sourcesWritten from published sources

Written for Canada, from Canadian sources.

The short answer

For type 2 diabetes, usually yes, with conditions. Ontario, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Quebec’s RAMQ and the federal NIHB program list semaglutide with criteria, typically after metformin. For weight loss, no public plan covers Ozempic or any other GLP‑1, as of 12 October 2026.

Key takeaways

  • Every public plan we checked lists semaglutide for type 2 diabetes with conditions, and none covers it for weight loss as of 12 October 2026.1,2,3
  • Ontario’s plan funds Ozempic under Limited Use for adults with type 2 diabetes when metformin at the highest tolerated dose isn’t enough.1
  • BC PharmaCare covers semaglutide by Special Authority after metformin, up to 1 mg a week, with the 2 mg dose under review.2
  • Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan list generic semaglutide as interchangeable with Ozempic, so plans can pay the generic price.4,5,3
  • We found no public plan that lists Mounjaro; BC took public input on it for type 2 diabetes in February and March 2026.4,6,7
Before you go further
  • GLP‑1 medicines are prescription drugs in Canada. Nothing here is a reason to start, stop or switch one.8
  • We name brands and official prices as facts. We don’t recommend, rank or link to any brand, pharmacy, clinic or program.
  • Ozempic, its generics and Mounjaro are approved for type 2 diabetes. Using them for weight loss is off-label (outside the approved use).9,10
  • The risks are the same however you get the medicine: see our side effects guide.
On this page
  1. What does each public plan say?
  2. Does OHIP cover Ozempic?
  3. What do BC and Alberta require?
  4. Will my plan pay for the brand or the generic?
  5. Does any province cover Ozempic for weight loss?
  6. What about Mounjaro, and Quebec?
  7. Questions people ask
  8. How we researched this
  9. Sources

What does each public plan say?

The plans we checked all cover semaglutide for type 2 diabetes, each with its own conditions. Dates show when each rule was published.

PlanHow it’s listedMain conditionSource date
Ontario Ontario Drug BenefitLimited UseType 2 diabetes, after the highest tolerated metformin dose, or if metformin is unsuitableJan 2024; formulary checked 12 Oct 2026
British Columbia PharmaCareSpecial AuthorityType 2 diabetes, after metformin at maximum tolerated doses; up to 1 mg a week21 Apr 2026
Alberta Alberta Drug Benefit ListStep therapy or special authorizationType 2 diabetes; generics added 1 Jul 2026Jul 2026
Saskatchewan Drug PlanException Drug StatusType 2 diabetes; generics added 1 Jul 2026Aug 2026
Nova Scotia PharmacareException statusWith metformin and a sulfonylurea when those two aren’t enough; 1 pen per 4 weeksFeb 2024
Quebec RAMQException drugWith metformin, when a sulfonylurea is unsuitable, not tolerated or not workingMar 2026
First Nations and Inuit NIHBLimited UseType 2 diabetes not controlled with metformin or other diabetes drugsMar 2026

Grouped by plan, not ranked. Quebec and NIHB criteria come from Diabète Québec’s March 2026 table, because the RAMQ site would not load for us. We did not check Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, PEI or the territories one by one.

Sources by row: Ontario1,4, BC2, Alberta11,5, Saskatchewan3, Nova Scotia12, Quebec and NIHB.6

Does OHIP cover Ozempic?

OHIP itself is health insurance; prescription drugs go through the Ontario Drug Benefit program, which covers certain groups.13

The Ontario Drug Benefit covers people 65 and older, and people 24 and under without a private plan (OHIP+). It also covers long-term care and home care patients, people on Ontario Works or ODSP, and the Trillium Drug Program.13

For them, Ozempic is funded under Limited Use codes 665 to 667. The criteria are type 2 diabetes in adults, “when adequate glycemic control is not achieved on the maximum tolerated dose of metformin or where metformin is contraindicated or inappropriate”.1

The plan won’t fund semaglutide together with another GLP‑1 or a DPP-4 inhibitor, or the injection together with the tablet. Once approved, the authorization doesn’t expire.1

What do BC and Alberta require?

BC asks for Special Authority after metformin and pays up to 1 mg a week. Alberta treats Ozempic as step therapy.2,11

BC. PharmaCare covers semaglutide pens “after inadequate glycemic control on maximum tolerated doses of metformin”. It suggests at least 3 months of metformin first. Approval is indefinite.2

BC pays up to 1 mg a week; the 2 mg dose is “currently under review”. It won’t pay for two 0.5 mg doses from a 0.5 mg pen. Approving semaglutide also ends any DPP-4 inhibitor coverage.2

Alberta. Global News reported that “Alberta treats Ozempic as a step therapy”, meaning another medicine comes first.11 Generic semaglutide joined Alberta’s list on 1 July 2026 as interchangeable with Ozempic.5

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Will my plan pay for the brand or the generic?

Where a generic is listed as interchangeable, plans can pay the generic price. Ontario pays $78.14 a pen whether the pharmacy dispenses Ozempic or a generic.4

If you or your prescriber want the brand, you may pay the difference. Saskatchewan Blue Cross says plans with mandatory generic substitution limit payment to the lowest-priced interchangeable product.3

Alberta delayed its lowest-cost pricing in July 2026 because of a Dr. Reddy’s shortage. For Alberta’s government programs it was still suspended in August.5,14 Which generics exist: generic semaglutide in Canada.

Does any province cover Ozempic for weight loss?

No. As of 12 October 2026, no public plan we checked covers Ozempic, Wegovy or any GLP‑1 for weight management.3,15

Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes, so weight loss is an off-label use.9 Saskatchewan says its plan won’t consider generics for “off label uses, including chronic weight management”.3

Wegovy, which is approved for weight, was turned down too: BC listed it as a “Non-benefit” in December 2025 after national price talks failed.15 The full story: why no province covers Wegovy or Zepbound.

RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Stomach effects. In the diabetes trials in Ozempic’s Canadian monograph, about 17 in 100 people on 0.5 mg felt sick (nausea), and 20 in 100 on 1 mg. On comparison treatments it was about 6 in 100.9
  • Gallstones. About 7 in 1,000 people on 0.5 mg and 11 in 1,000 on 1 mg, against 5 in 1,000 on comparison treatments.9
  • Pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas): confirmed in 0.3 cases per 100 patient-years on Ozempic in the diabetes trials, against 0.2 on another GLP‑1 medicine and none on a dummy injection or other diabetes medicines. The warning sign is severe stomach pain that won’t go away, sometimes spreading to the back.9,16
  • Low blood sugar is more likely if you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea such as gliclazide.16
  • Thyroid. Semaglutide must not be used if you or a family member has had medullary thyroid cancer, or if you have MEN 2.9
Full detail in our side effects guide →
Get help now: call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department for severe stomach pain that won’t go away, with or without vomiting. It can be pancreatitis. Not sure? Call 811 to speak to a nurse in most provinces (Info-Santé 811 in Quebec).16,17

What about Mounjaro, and Quebec?

We found no public plan listing Mounjaro. In Quebec, Ozempic is an exception drug under RAMQ, and Mounjaro goes through private insurance.6,4

Ontario’s formulary has no tirzepatide product.4 BC took public input on Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes from 25 February to 24 March 2026; we found no decision since.7

Quebec is the only province where everyone must have drug insurance, through RAMQ’s public plan or a private plan.18 RAMQ lists Ozempic as a “médicament d’exception” (exception drug).6

Questions people ask

Does OHIP cover Ozempic?

Not through OHIP itself. The Ontario Drug Benefit program funds it under Limited Use for people it covers who have type 2 diabetes, after metformin at the highest tolerated dose.13,1

Does BC PharmaCare cover Ozempic?

Yes, by Special Authority for type 2 diabetes after metformin at maximum tolerated doses, up to 1 mg a week. Approval is indefinite.2

Does Alberta cover Ozempic?

For type 2 diabetes, Alberta lists it as step therapy. Generic semaglutide was added on 1 July 2026 as interchangeable.11,5

Is Ozempic covered for weight loss anywhere in Canada?

Not by any public plan we checked, as of 12 October 2026. Some private plans cover GLP‑1s for weight.3,19

Does any province cover Mounjaro?

We found none. Ontario’s formulary has no tirzepatide, Quebec lists it as private insurance only, and BC took public input in early 2026.4,6,7

How we researched this

We read each plan’s own listing where we could reach it: Ontario’s formulary and Limited Use notice, BC PharmaCare’s semaglutide page, Alberta Blue Cross bulletins, Saskatchewan Blue Cross and Nova Scotia Pharmacare. Quebec and NIHB criteria come from Diabète Québec’s March 2026 table.

Plan rules change. Each row carries its date; check with your pharmacist before relying on it.

Before you move on

  • Find out which public plan, if any, you belong to.
  • Ask your prescriber whether a form or code is needed.
  • Ask whether your plan pays the generic price only.
  • Keep a record of what you tried before, such as metformin.
  • Check again if your plan changes its list.
Cost calculatorType 2 diabetes reading pathGetting a prescription, and the medicines

More from the Canada blog

CACanadaWhy doesn’t any province cover Wegovy or Zepbound for weight loss?CACanadaDoes private insurance cover Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound in Canada?CACanadaHow much do Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound cost in Canada?
About GLP Guidebook

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An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don’t sell medicines, take drug-company money, earn commissions or link to any provider. Once a month: Health Canada approvals, recalls, provincial coverage changes and official prices. How we write

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Sources

  1. Ontario Ministry of Health. Executive Officer notice: Ozempic listed with Limited Use codes 665–667 (for adults with type 2 diabetes when control is not achieved on the maximum tolerated dose of metformin, or metformin is contraindicated or inappropriate; authorization period indefinite). 26 January 2024. PDF
  2. BC PharmaCare. Limited coverage drugs: semaglutide (Special Authority after inadequate control on maximum tolerated metformin; approval indefinite; up to 1 mg weekly; 2 mg under review). Updated 21 April 2026. Link
  3. Saskatchewan Blue Cross. Generic Ozempic in Saskatchewan: what it means for your clients and members (generics added to the Saskatchewan Drug Plan Formulary 1 July 2026, interchangeable, Exception Drug Status; “They will not be considered for off label uses, including chronic weight management”). 7 August 2026. Link
  4. Ontario Ministry of Health. Ontario Drug Benefit Formulary search, semaglutide rows (Ozempic $227.94 per pen with $78.141 paid; Apo-Semaglutide and Dr. Reddy’s $78.141; Sevmia $325.048, off-formulary interchangeable; Wegovy off-formulary interchangeable, no price; Rybelsus $7.5303 per tablet; no tirzepatide row). Checked 12 October 2026. Link
  5. Alberta Blue Cross. Pharmacy Benefact 1330, July 2026 (generic semaglutide added to the Alberta Drug Benefit List from 1 July 2026, interchangeable with Ozempic; Dr. Reddy’s shortage reported 10 July 2026; LCA pricing postponed). PDF
  6. Diabète Québec. Table of diabetes medications and their coverage (RAMQ exception-drug criteria for Ozempic; Mounjaro private insurance only, not on the RAMQ list; NIHB Limited Use). March 2026. PDF
  7. BC PharmaCare. Drug information for public input: tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for type 2 diabetes, input open 25 February to 24 March 2026. PDF
  8. Health Canada. Drug Product Database: status records for every semaglutide product (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, Plosbrio, Poviztra; generics from Dr. Reddy’s, Apotex, Aspen and Sandoz, and Sevmia). Searched 12 October 2026. Link
  9. Novo Nordisk Canada. Ozempic (semaglutide injection) Product Monograph, 13 July 2026 (produced by recombinant DNA technology in yeast; 2, 4 and 8 mg pens; indications; adverse reactions table; pancreatitis; contraindications). PDF
  10. Eli Lilly Canada. Mounjaro (tirzepatide injection) Product Monograph, date of authorization 23 June 2026 (type 2 diabetes in adults and in ages 10 to under 18; single-dose pen, vial and 4-dose KwikPen; storage). PDF
  11. Global News. Novo Nordisk to cut Ozempic price as generics arrive (savings card excluding Quebec; “only a small number of private insurers cover the use of the drugs for weight management”; Alberta step therapy; Ontario Limited Use). 26 May 2026. Link
  12. Nova Scotia Pharmacare. Prescriber bulletin 24-03 (Ozempic exception status criteria: with metformin and a sulfonylurea; maximum 1 pen every 4 weeks). February 2024. PDF
  13. Government of Ontario. Get coverage for prescription drugs (Ontario Drug Benefit eligibility: 65 and older, OHIP+ for 24 and under without private coverage, long-term care, home care, Trillium, Ontario Works, ODSP). Checked 12 October 2026. Link
  14. Alberta Blue Cross. Pharmacy Benefact 1331, August 2026 (generic pricing for Ozempic claims under private plans that follow generic pricing, from 17 August 2026; LCA pricing suspended for government programs). PDF
  15. BC PharmaCare. Drug coverage decision: semaglutide (Wegovy), “Non-benefit”, 18 December 2025 (pCPA negotiations concluded without agreement on 1 December 2025; Novo Nordisk no longer seeking public coverage; generic semaglutide to be reviewed). PDF
  16. Novo Nordisk Canada. Wegovy (semaglutide injection) Product Monograph, date of authorization 2 October 2026 (indications; dose escalation; STEP 1–3 results and adverse reactions; pancreatitis, gallbladder, kidney and pregnancy warnings; storage). PDF
  17. Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Medical services by phone (811 in most provinces and Yukon; Info-Santé 811 in Quebec; other numbers in Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut). Checked 12 October 2026. Link
  18. Gouvernement du Québec. Régime public d’assurance médicaments: Quebec is “la seule province canadienne où toute la population est obligatoirement couverte par un régime d’assurance médicaments”. 29 December 2020. Link
  19. International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. GLP-1 drug trends: Canadian employers continue to increase coverage for weight loss (2026 pulse survey). 7 July 2026. Link

Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due 12 Apr 2027 · Report an error

How this post was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It’s general information, not medical advice. Talk to your family doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. We don’t sell, prescribe or recommend any brand or provider. How we write