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The CUSMA Countdown: 24 Days to a Trade Deadline That Could Hit Your Wallet

Canada's free trade deal with the U.S. hits a mandatory review milestone on July 1. With negotiations unresolved and Washington demanding changes, here's what it actually means for your groceries, your car, and your job. MoneySavings.ca Staff Canadian Money Brief June 7, 2026 5 min read What Is CUSMA and Why Does July 1 Matter? CUSMA — the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement — is the trade deal that keeps the North American economy humming. It replaced NAFTA in 2020 and governs the movement of trillions of dollars in goods and services across the Canada-U.S. border every year. For Canadian consumers, it's largely invisible — until it isn't. Built into the agreement is a mandatory six-year joint review, and that clock expires on July 1, 2026 . By that date, all three countries must declare whether they want to renew the deal for another 16 years, trigger annual reviews, or walk away. Whatever they decide, CUSMA technically stays in force until 2036 — but the path chose...

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Pharmacare in Canada: A Dream or a Reality?

 


The fate of Canada's pharmacare plan is uncertain as the federal government faces challenges in implementing a universal drug coverage program, even if a bill to create one passes in Parliament. Bill C-213, the Canada Pharmacare Act, aims to establish a national framework for pharmacare that would ensure all Canadians have access to prescription drugs based on their medical needs, not their ability to pay. 

However, the bill does not specify how the program would be funded, administered or negotiated with the provinces and territories, leaving many questions unanswered about the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of pharmacare. Some experts and stakeholders have expressed doubts about whether Ottawa has the political will, the constitutional authority and the fiscal capacity to deliver on its promise of pharmacare, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that has strained the health care system and the public purse.

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