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3 min read Monthly Bulletin

HealthDataWatch — May 2026 Recap

Welcome back! HDW highlights free and accessible health-related data sources in Canada. Here's what came out last month.
Tulips at the end of spring.

If you work with data like I do, 2026 has probably already been a big year (TW: AI commentary 😅).

As a statistical programmer and epidemiologist who is not a software developer, the tools at my disposal have never felt more powerful or accessible - at least for now. After the step-change in performance of AI tools late last year (especially for writing code), many of my most time-consuming and error-prone tasks seemed to vanish overnight (albeit replaced by existential anxiety).

My clients, sometimes experts in specialized fields of medicine and social sciences, used to rely on students or consultants (like me) to clean and analyze data in what was effectively a black box. Now, they are advancing their own work in ways that weren't possible before. They're showing up with rapid iterations, ideas that could only come from deep in the weeds - and yes, the dreaded "vibe coded" app. My post-graduate training taught me that appropriate, well-considered statistical analysis was next to impossible. So basically, I'm terrified. But the newfound enthusiasm among clients and colleagues is contagious and I can't help but feel it too.

Now, will big data live up to the hype on LinkedIn? Is doomsday à la Pluribus inevitable? I don't think anyone knows. What I do know? If this technology can be harnessed responsibly and ethically for truth-finding, I'll support that. And to me, that starts with thinking about data - data that is often collected from ordinary people without their knowledge (fine print doesn't count) who don't benefit from it directly. I have been privileged to work with rich and so-called "real-world" data like insurance claims and medical records, which are inaccessible and unaffordable for anyone working outside of certain niches. Even though there are good reasons to restrict access (privacy), many who might use it for good - junior researchers, policy makers, advocates, journalists - are left in the dark.

This newsletter aims to shine a light onto free and accessible health-related data sources in Canada. Maybe something you learn here will help answer a question, make a connection, or spark a new idea. At very least, I hope to share appreciation for the researchers, public servants, and patients who have been behind datasets like these long before they represented a paycheck for big tech.

Here's what came out last month. And no, this isn't AI - I just ❤️ the "-".

- Rhiannon

New numbers 📊

Health & Disease

Health Services & Benefits

Society, Community & Well-being

Vital Statistics