Loblaw dominates groceries. Now it’s eyeing healthcare

The Decibel

In 2023, more than 6.5 million people across Canada did not have a family doctor. Family doctor deserts are growing so vast that patients will stay with their doctors even after moving hours away. Some provinces have been increasing pharmacists’ capabilities – allowing them to prescribe for common ailments like pink eye. The hope is they can relieve some pressure on already stretched family doctors’ offices and increase accessibility for people without one.

After acquiring Shoppers Drug Mart in 2014, Loblaw has a hold on 25 per cent of the Canadian pharmacy market. Ten years later, they’re betting that the future of Canadian healthcare lies at the back of their stores. They’ve started building what they’re calling “pharmacy care clinics,” where pharmacists will be able to visit with patients in a clinic-like setting.

Chris Hannay is the Globe’s independent business reporter, and Susan Krashinsky Robertson is the Globe’s retail reporter. They’re on the show to talk about what Loblaw’s expansion into the healthcare space means for Canadians, and what healthcare providers think about the move.

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