Madam Speaker, I want to thank my friend and colleague from Edmonton Strathcona for her advocacy on ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, and certainly on pharmacare. I will tell her that this is the first job I have ever had that has a drug plan. Olympic athletes do not have drug coverage in Canada, and my father, who does not have ALS but has Parkinson's, pays out of pocket for prescription drugs that he requires every single day.
It is a shared commitment among Liberals and members of the New Democratic Party, and many other members of the House, to ensure that when we leave this place, there will be a pharmacare plan. I agree that it has been too long and that promises have been held for too long, but I thank the member for the opportunity to speak tonight on the government's actions to make prescription drugs more affordable for Canadians. No one should have to choose between paying for prescription drugs and putting food on the table. Unfortunately, too many Canadians still have to make this impossible choice.
That is why we have done more than any other government in a generation to lower drug prices, and we are committed to implementing a national universal pharmacare program. The groundwork for this was laid in the achievements of the last Parliament and reaffirmed in the Speech from the Throne, the fall economic statement and, most recently, in budget 2021.
While we recognize the importance of a national pharmacare program, our government also respects the division of jurisdictional powers that exists in this country and the benefits of harnessing the expertise that exists across the provinces and the territories. That is why our government will continue to use the measured and thoughtful approach that we have taken on this issue. We are moving forward with willing provinces and territories in accelerating steps to achieve this system and build on the foundational elements of national pharmacare that are already in place so that Canadians can have the drug coverage they need.
Allow me to describe our government's recent efforts to advance a national pharmacare system.
On rare diseases, we recognize that for many Canadians who require prescription drugs to treat rare diseases, the cost of medications can be astronomically high. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the advocacy work that my friend Simon Ibell did throughout his life, which was too short. When he passed, I made a personal commitment to ensure that people who are advocating for a variety of rare diseases have their voices heard in the House. I want to take a moment to thank Simon Ibell and his family and friends for all of his advocacy.
To help Canadians get better access to effective treatments, we are working with provinces, territories and other partners to move forward on developing a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases. Our government announced in budget 2021 that it would proceed with the plan, as originally proposed in budget 2019, to invest up to $1 billion over two years, starting in 2022-23, and up to $500 million per year thereafter to support this strategy. I am pleased to inform the House that stakeholder consultations are under way and our aim is to launch the strategy by 2022.
The creation of a national formulary, which would list the drugs covered under a national pharmacare program, is another vital area in which our government is taking action. Support for a national formulary was first announced in budget 2019 and was reaffirmed in budget 2021. The development of a comprehensive evidence-based national formulary will allow a consistent approach to formulary listing and patient access across the provinces and territories.
Finally, we have established a national Canadian drug agency transition office. Budget 2019 proposed $35 million in funding to create this office with Health Canada. Its mandate is to advance work on pharmacare-related priorities through co-operation with key partners and stakeholders. The office will strengthen and better align all parts of the system in keeping with the government's commitment to establish a Canadian drug agency.
In closing, I will again say thanks for the opportunity to speak to this important issue. Through the actions described above and through other avenues, the government has worked diligently and productively to implement national pharmacare. I look forward to the day when my friend from Edmonton Strathcona and I can high-five in the House of Commons when we get it done.