Ozempic cost in Canada
We haven't checked Ozempic prices yet, so we don't print one. The price at the till is the drug cost, any pharmacy markup and a dispensing fee, and the last two are set by each pharmacy and province.
Ozempic prices we checked
Coverage
Ontario Drug Benefit
Partial coverageLimited Use (LU 665, 666, 667): type 2 diabetes when metformin at the maximum tolerated dose hasn't controlled blood sugar, or isn't suitable. Not funded otherwise.BC PharmaCare
Partial coverageSpecial Authority: type 2 diabetes after inadequate control on maximum tolerated metformin. Covered up to a 1 mg weekly pen; the 2 mg dose is under review.Ontario Drug Benefit (generic semaglutide)
Partial coverageApo-Semaglutide (DIN 02568020, 02568012) and Dr. Reddy's Semaglutide Injection (02567806, 02567814) listed 30 Jun 2026 as interchangeable with Ozempic under its Limited Use criteria.Alberta Drug Benefit List
Partial coverageSpecial authorization: add-on therapy in type 2 diabetes after sufficient trial (such as 6 months) of metformin and a sulfonylurea, where insulin is not an option; may be granted for 24 months.Manitoba Pharmacare
Partial coverageOn the list of drugs with indefinite Exception Drug Status approval, effective 21 Jan 2021; individual EDS application by prescriber.Nova Scotia Pharmacare
Partial coverageException Status benefit (E): type 2 diabetes with metformin and a sulfonylurea; max 1 prefilled pen every 4 weeks.PEI Pharmacare
Partial coverageSpecial authorization for semaglutide: type 2 diabetes with metformin (6 months) and a sulfonylurea; max 1 prefilled pen every 4 weeks.
What Ozempic is
Ozempic is the brand name of semaglutide, a GLP-1 medication made by Novo Nordisk. It is a pre-filled pen you inject once a week. The Health Canada-approved product monograph (the official prescribing document for a drug) lists its use in adults with type 2 diabetes, and the pens come in strengths that deliver 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg doses.
Whether a public plan pays for it depends on the province: see the plan rules by province. Dose changes are your prescriber’s decision. The monograph describes a starting dose that is not meant as a treatment dose and later steps up, so read it with them.
What makes up the price
A pharmacy price has three parts. The drug cost is what the pharmacy pays its supplier. The markup is the amount the pharmacy adds. The dispensing fee is the pharmacy’s charge for checking and filling your prescription.
We record the drug price and the dispensing fee separately, because the fee is the part that moves most between pharmacies. Our methodology explains how we check and when a price is marked as being re-checked.
Why the price differs by pharmacy and province
Pharmacies set their own markup and fee, so the same pen can be quoted differently across a street. Provinces also run their own drug plans with their own rules, and those rules decide whether a plan pays anything toward Ozempic. See the province pages for Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.
Prices shown here exclude anything your drug plan pays.
Savings programs
Manufacturers sometimes run patient support or savings programs. We haven’t confirmed whether one exists for Ozempic and what it requires, so we don’t describe one. When we read the program terms, they will go on a dedicated page with the date we read them.
How to get a quote
Phone or message two or three pharmacies. Give the drug name, the pen strength on your prescription and how many weeks it should last, then ask for the drug price and the dispensing fee separately. Ask whether the price changes if you transfer the prescription. You can then compare totals on the same basis.
What to do next
- Check your drug plan’s rules before paying out of pocket.
- Compare online providers and what their programs cost apart from the medication.
- Read about generic semaglutide and what its status means for price.
Questions people ask
How much is Ozempic in Canada without insurance?
We haven't checked pharmacy prices for Ozempic yet, so we don't publish a figure. The table above fills in as we confirm prices, each with its date.
Why does Ozempic cost different amounts at different pharmacies?
The pharmacy sets its own markup and dispensing fee on top of the drug cost. Two pharmacies in the same city can quote different totals for the same pen.
Is Ozempic approved for weight loss in Canada?
The Ozempic monograph lists type 2 diabetes uses. Wegovy, which also contains semaglutide, is the Novo Nordisk product approved for chronic weight management. Using Ozempic for another purpose is a decision for your prescriber.
Does the price change with the dose?
Ozempic comes in pens for 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg doses, 1 mg doses and 2 mg doses, and a pen's price can differ by strength. We will list each pen strength separately once we have checked it.