Canada’s auditor general raised concerns with the Canadian Dental Care Plan exceeding its projected budget by $1 billion in its first two years, and with the Public Health Agency of Canada losing $331 million in medical supplies due to expiry and damage.
Auditor General Karen Hogan said on Oct. 29 that the nine reports tabled by her office showed “progress in some areas, but they also revealed persistent problems in others.” She said the audits found that organizations were slow to address known issues, which contributed to delays, higher costs, and programs that failed to deliver results.
Hogan’s report on the national Dental Care Plan said that through the program, “millions of Canadians are already benefiting from more affordable dental care,” noting that around 6.9 million people enrolled in it as of March 2026 and 61 percent using their benefits. However, the report said payments for dental benefits in the first two years have exceeded Health Canada’s budget by around $1.1 billion….