What Canadian health IT buyers want before they sign

A new survey of 212 Canadian healthcare IT leaders reveals a seismic shift in procurement demands, with buyers now requiring concrete proof from vendors on critical fronts: strict interoperability, robust Canadian data sovereignty, explicit AI governance, and clear workflow return on investment. Forget broad promises; 96% of Canadian healthcare IT buyers mandate or heavily weight interoperability in upcoming RFPs, and 74% prohibit the use of Canadian protected health information for AI training without explicit written consent. The heightened scrutiny arrives as Canada's digital health landscape undergoes rapid transformation, punctuated by legislative pushes and significant government investment. Bill S-5, the 'Connected Care for Canadians Act,' currently moving through Parliament, aims to enforce interoperability and prevent data blocking, while Prime Minister Mark Carney's government recently committed $100 million to launch the 'Health Sector Data Space' as part of the broader 'AI for All' strategy. These initiatives underscore a national urgency to modernize healthcare, yet also highlight persistent concerns over data privacy, particularly in light of foreign legal frameworks like the U.S. CLOUD Act, which can complicate data residency for Canadian-hosted services provided by U.S.-owned companies. As the digital health community convenes at e-Health26, vendors unprepared to contractually, operationally, technically, and financially prove their value in these key areas risk being screened out early. The pressure is on for solutions that not only connect systems and protect patient data but also measurably reduce clinician workload and provide predictable five-year costs. Expect the upcoming 2026-2028 buying cycle to heavily favor vendors who can demonstrate tangible operational impact and align with Canada's evolving digital sovereignty and ethical AI imperatives, setting a new benchmark for trust in the healthcare technology sector.