Canada’s HIV Progress in Peril: A Tale of Two Strategies

Canada is experiencing a stark rise in new HIV infections, with an estimated 2,517 cases in 2024 alone – a 23% increase from previous years. Dr. Julio Montaner, executive director and physician-in-chief at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, warns that this resurgence threatens to undo years of progress.

Canada was once hailed as a leader in the fight against HIV, thanks largely to Montaner’s pioneering work on “treatment as prevention.” Introduced in 2006, this strategy aimed to end the AIDS pandemic by 2030. The approach set three ambitious targets: diagnosing 95% of people with HIV, putting 95% on treatment, and achieving a 95% suppressed viral load rate.

Canada has made significant progress in one area – diagnosing those with HIV – but falls short in others. Meanwhile, other countries are making strides. According to the UNAIDS report, 11 nations have successfully eliminated AIDS as a public health threat, including seven in eastern and southern Africa. Globally, new HIV infections and deaths from the disease have declined to their lowest levels in 30 years.

Montaner points to two main issues: underfunding and inadequate tracking. The Public Health Agency of Canada reports a 22.8% increase in new HIV infections between 2022 and 2024, yet health data is only released every two years – four years behind the curve. This delay hampers efforts to address the growing issue.

Foreign aid cuts have also ravaged global initiatives aimed at combating HIV. International funding for HIV testing and treatment in low- and middle-income nations plummeted by 18% in 2025, with Canada’s share of this reduction significant given its status as a high-income country.

Montaner urges Ottawa to restore its funding commitments to global initiatives while addressing the resurgence of HIV cases at home. Access to treatment remains a major challenge, particularly for those who cannot afford deductibles and co-payments associated with antiretroviral medications. Montaner advocates for making treatment accessible through Canada’s national pharmacare program.

As the face of HIV evolves in Canada – now affecting rural and remote communities without adequate health infrastructure – it’s clear that more needs to be done to support those most affected. Jody Jollimore, executive director of CATIE, emphasizes the importance of investing in programs like his organization, which provides essential services to people living with HIV.

Canada is at a crossroads. It can either continue down the path of underfunding and inadequate tracking or make a concerted effort to address the growing HIV crisis. The recent warning from global health leaders at the International AIDS conference in Rio de Janeiro should serve as a stark reminder that cuts in foreign aid and slow tracking have real-world consequences.

As countries like South Africa and Kenya make strides in addressing HIV, Canada’s failure to do so risks undoing years of progress. It’s time for Ottawa to take bold action: restore funding commitments to global initiatives, increase transparency around HIV data, and ensure access to treatment is available to all who need it. The world is watching; Ottawa must act.