In January 2026, we set out to map Canada’s digital health and data workforce; to get a better picture of the current workforce, identify skills gaps, and inform future training requirements.
The resulting Report on Canada’s Digital Health Workforce quantifies Canada’s digital health and health data workforce, identifies capability gaps, and sets priorities for action. The report is intended as a scoping exercise to support discussion among health system leaders, educators, policymakers, and industry partners. It provides a directional view of the workforce landscape rather than a comprehensive labour market analysis.
Read it to find:
- Five priority opportunities
- Six crosscutting themes from key informants and literature
- A summary of digital health capability by workforce group
- Detailed references
To take full advantage of Canada’s strengths in healthcare, AI, and research—and to lead globally in digital health and health data—we need to ensure that the Canadian health workforce is keeping pace with digital transformation. This report brings us closer to a common understanding of the digital health workforce landscape and how we can work together to strengthen Canadian workforce readiness.
CONTRIBUTORS AND KEY INFORMANTS
This report would not have been possible without the contributions of:
- Simon Hagens, Hagens Consulting
- Mirou Jaana, Telfer School of Management
- Sukirtha Tharmalingam
- Suraj Brar, Telfer School of Management
- Marissa Binstock, Digital Health Canada
… and the following key informants:
- Eric Sutherland, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Sue Owen, Canadian College of Health Leaders
- Elizabeth Borycki, University of Victoria
- Will Falk, Rotman School, CD Howe, AMS Healthcare
- Glynda Rees, BCIT
- Michael Green, Canada Health Infoway
- Kathleen Morris, Canadian Institute for Health Information
- Raj Malik, Medtech Canada
- Rick Glazier, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
- Elaine Huesing, TECHNATION
- Sarah Muttitt, Sick Kids and University Health Network
- Betsy Nejat, The Canadian Health Information Management Association and The Canadian College of Health Information Management
- Owen Adams, Canadian Medical Association
- Elizabeth Toller and Brett Taylor, Health Canada
- Michael Tatto, British Columbia Provincial Health Services Authority
- Nicole Mardis, Alberta Innovates
- Deb Cohen, Health Workforce Canada
- Phil Boyer, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
- Saurabh Popat, TELUS
- Maria Judd, Healthcare Excellence Canada
- Munaza Jamil, Canada‘s Clinical Research Workforce Strategy