Community pharmacies in Canada have evolved over the past decade to address both traditional prescription needs and broader public health challenges. These establishments increasingly serve as access points for chronic disease management, vaccinations, and mental health support, reflecting a shift toward integrated healthcare delivery. According to the Canadian Pharmacists Association, there were over 8,400 community pharmacies across the country in 2022, with Ontario alone accounting for roughly 2,500 of these locations. This growth in the sector has been accompanied by increasing demands for services beyond dispensing medications, including online prescription refills, harm reduction programs, and addiction treatment support. Within this context, networks of independently owned pharmacies have sought to expand their operations while maintaining local engagement with patients and communities.
Pharmabest.ca operates at this juncture of conventional pharmacy services and other healthcare requirements in the province of Ontario. Over the past decade, community pharmacies in Canada began transforming from just dispensing medications for consumers to connecting them with care for chronic conditions, immunizations, and counseling for mental healthcare, aiming for a more comprehensive model of healthcare delivery. In 2022, over 8,400 community pharmacies existed in Canada, with 2,500 of those found in Ontario. This rapid expansion also raises a series of demands for other healthcare needs, including electronic refilling, harm-reduction strategies, and support for those with addictions, in an independent expansion without sacrificing the local community perspective.
The company was founded by Joseph Saad, a pharmacy owner with a BSc in Pharmacy from Cairo University, who later pursued a course in International Pharmacy Graduates at the University of Toronto. Saad relocated to Canada in 2011, where he utilized his knowledge to establish a network of independent pharmacies. Operating in 2025, Pharmabest.ca started from one store but has now expanded to ten different pharmacy stores that are situated in the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, and Orillia.
Pharmabest.ca runs as a chain of independently owned pharmacies that remain independent and localized while benefiting from centralized support in management, training, and coordinating various health services. Every pharmacy site also networks with medical facilities and physicians in providing patient care for chronic diseases, as well as patient consultations, that merge healthcare and pharmacy services in order to reach those who lack access to conventional healthcare.
Core services offered include dispensing, over-the-counter medications, and medication therapy management. The network also provides services for opioid use disorder, harm reduction, as well as strategies such as blister packaging for compliance. Online refill and home delivery of medications expands access, particularly for seniors with mobility issues, as well as in areas with low access. Immunizations, as well as health screening, are also offered. This aligns with broader community public health objectives in the province of Ontario.
Pharmabest.ca has expanded to other locations, including Health Care Mart Pharmacy (Toronto), Bloordale Pharmacy (Toronto), Sheppard Medical Pharmacy (North York), Abell Pharmacy (Toronto), Birchcliff Pharmacy (Scarborough), Wellington Pharmacy (Hamilton), Orillia Downtown Pharmacy (Orillia), and Apex Pharmacy (North York), between 2021 and 2025. This reflects a plan to cover different communities in Ontario with a consistent standard of care, including those in metropolitan and suburban areas.
The company has received a number of awards for its professional endeavors. In 2024, it received Small Business of the Year (Up to 10 Employees) in the CanadianSME Business Awards, organized by Google and RBC, for its innovation in business operations, availability of health care, and development after the pandemic. The company has also received the Gold Stevie Award in the International Business Awards and the Global Recognition Award in 2024, which recognize its authenticity in the healthcare and business sectors.
The Pharmabest.ca administration involves professional support and management. The administration of this organization is headed by founder Joseph Saad, who remains in charge with the professional backing of his wife, Germine Matta. Other key administration members are Ashish Hadvani, Director of Business Development and Sales Optimization, and several pharmacy and operations partners who run various outlets.
Digital healthcare services are integrated into this practice, as telemedicine and online prescription refilling make it easy for patients to access pharmacists and healthcare teams remotely. This underscores the growing trend in Canadian community pharmacy of providing care that is accessible and convenient.
Pharmabest.ca further pursues community healthcare aims in their opioid use disorder support, harm reduction, and chronic illness management education. With their integration with healthcare clinics, pharmacists can now work in partnership with physicians for both acute and chronic care, in line with contemporary strategies for using community pharmacies as a point of access in a comprehensive healthcare system. To date, in 2025, in Ontario, a ten-site network operates with further expansion in development. The focus remains on providing independent professional service with emphasis upon standardization rather than upon marketing.
In a nutshell, Pharmabest.ca represents a case study in how independent pharmacies in the province of Ontario are growing, including professional development, expanding services, and further integration of their practices with all of healthcare. Joseph Saad’s pharmacy group has reached ten sites, providing all manner of pharmacy care, including prescription dispensing and opioid use disorder management, as well as telehealth access. Recent honors, such as Small Business of the Year in 2024, as well as Gold Stevie and Global Recognition Awards, support their inclusion. Their model of shared care, in conjunction with telehealth, offers a lot in shaping how community pharmacies in Canada are developing.
