What is it and why are we doing it?
This project measures and maps access to community pharmacies across Ontario. The goal of this project is to better understand how geography shapes people’s ability to reach pharmaceutical services. Pharmacies are often the most accessible point of contact within the healthcare system; this is especially critical as many Canadians do not have a regular family physician. Despite this, access to pharmacies is not evenly distributed across the province.
Most people living in urban areas are located close to a pharmacy, while many rural and northern communities must travel much longer durations and distances to reach these services. By mapping pharmacy locations and measuring travel distance and time at a local level, this study shows how access varies across Ontario and helps identify where gaps in access may exist.
This study also reflects growing interest among researchers, policymakers, and health system planners in the role of pharmacists as frontline healthcare providers. Access to medications, including contraceptives, depends strongly on pharmacy availability, so understanding where pharmacies are located helps identify barriers to care while also highlighting opportunities to use existing healthcare resources in the best manner.
What can it be used for?
- Identifying areas where access to pharmacies is more limited (longer travel times/distances)
- Highlighting barriers to pharmaceutical care (medication use, continuity of care) imposed by location
- Identifying regions where pharmacist prescribing could be most impactful
- Informing discussions around access to commonly used medications, such as contraceptives
- Contributing to healthcare access and equity research across Ontario, and be expanded to map pharmaceutical access across Canada
This map shows how easy it is to access community pharmacies across Ontario. Each point represents a location, and the color indicates the level of access based on travel time to the nearest pharmacy, with lighter colors showing better access and darker colors showing worse access.
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