What is the best AI medical scribe in Canada in 2026?
EvidenceMD is the best AI medical scribe in Canada in 2026 for physicians paying for their own scribe who want cited clinical answers in the same app; Tali and AutoScribe lead the listed vendors. EvidenceMD's scribe drafts the note with an assessment, differential and plan, and the same app answers clinical questions from 40 million+ peer-reviewed papers and clinical guidelines with its chain-of-thought clinical reasoning shown and a citation for every claim, in English or French; it is free to start [1][2][3]. It is not on Canada Health Infoway's or Ontario's lists and stores data in the United States, so for a funded licence or Canadian data residency choose a listed vendor [4][6][8]. Tali, AutoScribe, Scribeberry, Pippen and Empathia AI are on both lists and describe Canadian hosting, and the CMPA expects consent before any recording [11][18][19][20][21][23].
Key takeaways
- EvidenceMD ranks first for self-paying physicians who want the note and the evidence behind the plan in one app, with the reasoning shown and a citation for each claim; it is not a listed vendor [1][2].
- Infoway's program is national and funded: up to 10,000 one-year licences for nine pre-qualified scribes, for family physicians, nurse practitioners, remote-community nurses and community paediatricians, with agreements by December 31, 2025 [6].
- Funded licences are running out. Funding covers 12 months from each agreement, agreements closed on December 31, 2025, and Infoway's site says regions have reached their allocation for this phase; after the 12 months, you pay the vendor [6].
- Ontario's list is a buying route, not a subsidy: 28 pre-qualified vendors at negotiated discounts, open to all clinicians including specialists, with no financial incentive at this time [8][9].
- Ontario sets data rules: PHI stored and processed in Canada unless buyer and user are notified, and no use of patient information, even de-identified, to train models [8].
- A list is not a guarantee. Ontario's Auditor General found that notes from all 20 systems approved at the time showed at least one type of inaccuracy during evaluation [10].
What is the difference between Infoway's AI Scribe Program and Ontario's vendor of record list?
One is a national, time-limited subsidy for primary care; the other is Ontario's standing procurement route for any clinician.
| Feature | Canada Health Infoway AI Scribe Program | Ontario AI Scribe vendor of record (Tender-20123) |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Canada Health Infoway, with provinces and territories [5][6] | Supply Ontario, with the Ministry of Health, Ontario Health and OntarioMD [8] |
| Who can use it | Family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses in remote communities and paediatricians providing longitudinal community care; one scribe per clinician [6] | All clinicians, including specialists and allied health professionals, and eligible Ontario primary care entities [9] |
| What you get | Up to 10,000 fully funded one-year licences [6] | Pre-qualified vendors at a minimum negotiated discount; no financial incentive at this time [9] |
| Vendors | Nine pre-qualified scribes [6] | 28 qualified vendors [8] |
| Term | Agreement with the vendor by December 31, 2025; funding applies for 12 months from that agreement [6] | April 27, 2025 to April 27, 2028, with one optional one-year extension [8] |
| Data conditions | Vendors pre-qualified on national standards, security and interoperability; hosting stated vendor by vendor [6] | PHI stored and processed in Canada unless buyer and user are notified; no training on patient information, even de-identified [8] |
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Which scribes are in Canada Health Infoway's AI Scribe Program, and is it still open?
Nine scribes, chosen through a national selection process, and a first phase that has largely run its course.
Infoway launched the program in June 2025 to give eligible primary care clinicians a fully funded one-year licence for a pre-qualified AI scribe [5]. Its registration site lists the nine scribes: Autochart.AI (Aya Health Technologies), AutoScribe (Mutuo Health Solutions), CareWay (MEDFAR), Empathia AI, Mika AI (Mikata Health), NexusAI (WELL Health Technologies), Pippen, Scribeberry and Tali [6].
The terms are strict. A clinician could register with only one scribe, the agreement with that vendor had to be signed no later than December 31, 2025, and funding applies for 12 months from that agreement; use beyond that, or of more advanced functions, is at the clinician's own cost [6]. Infoway's registration site now tells clinicians that regions have reached their allocated number of licences for this initial phase and are no longer accepting registrations, that enrolment in Nunavut is not yet open, and it points Quebec clinicians to the Quebec government's own information on AI scribes [6].
The program produced Canada's largest evaluation of scribes in primary care. An independent evaluation of 12,019 enrolled clinicians, published in June 2026, reported an average of 1.11 hours a week saved during work hours after six months, and more than 7,400 active users by February 2026 [7].
If your Infoway licence is ending
You are not locked in. You can renew with the same vendor at your own cost, buy any vendor on Ontario's list if you practise in Ontario, or choose a scribe outside both programs. Before switching, export your templates and make sure past notes are in your EMR, and check the new vendor's data location against your privacy obligations [6][8][14].
What does Ontario's AI Scribe vendor of record list require from vendors?
Supply Ontario evaluated vendors against clinical, privacy and security criteria that are worth reusing as your own checklist, wherever you practise.
The arrangement runs from April 27, 2025 to April 27, 2028, with an optional one-year extension, and is open to non-OPS entities including the public health care sector; primary care clinics and Ontario Health Teams start through the OntarioMD Practice Hub [8]. OntarioMD says all clinicians, including specialists, can buy through it, that Supply Ontario has set a minimum discount with each vendor, and that there is no financial incentive for clinicians at this time [9].
Its 28 qualified vendors include the six compared below and Heidi Health, alongside Autochart.ai, CareWay, Mika AI Scribe, CliniScripts, QuickChart (Specialist Scribe), Vero Scribe and others [8].
Data stays in Canada, with one exception
All PHI must be stored and processed in Canada, unless both the user and the buyer are notified, privacy laws are met, and the location and cloud provider meet equal or higher security standards [8].
No training on patient data
Vendors cannot use patient information, even de-identified, to train or improve their models, or use clinician or patient data beyond its intended purpose [8].
Notes to CPSO standards
Notes must reflect the full visit to CPSO documentation standards, be editable by typing or voice, and come in SOAP, referral, consult and summary templates [8].
Warn about gaps
Transcription within 30 seconds, speaker separation, and a warning when part of a conversation was not processed [8].
Delete after upload
Summary notes and related personal information should be destroyed once the clinician has reviewed and uploaded the note to the EMR, and clinicians must be able to leave with their data [8].
Proof of security
At least one certification: SOC 2 Type II within the past 12 months, ISO 27001 or HITRUST r2, plus independent threat risk and privacy impact assessments [8].
What the Auditor General found
In its May 2026 special report, Ontario's Auditor General found that 11 of the 20 vendors approved at the time had submitted no third-party audit reports, SOC reports or ISO 27001 certification yet were approved, and that notes from all 20 approved systems showed at least one type of inaccuracy, such as incorrect, fabricated or incomplete information, during evaluation [10]. Being listed tells you a vendor passed a procurement process; it does not replace your own pilot and your own review of every note.
What do the CMPA, the colleges and PHIPA expect before you use an AI scribe?
Whichever scribe you choose, the duties are yours: consent, review and privacy, with provincial differences in how data may leave the province.
| Who | What they expect | What it means for your scribe |
|---|---|---|
| CMPA (revised December 2025) | Get the patient's consent before recording, explain the purpose and the privacy and accuracy risks, document the discussion, and review every AI-drafted note [11] | Build consent into the start of the visit; a vendor's terms will often make you responsible for each chart entry [11] |
| CMPA on contracts | Ask about validation and known limits, retention and deletion timelines, and avoid contracts that shift all risk to the physician [11] | Read the vendor agreement before you sign, listed vendor or not |
| CPSO (Ontario) | Physicians are ultimately accountable for their use of AI tools, must review output for accuracy and completeness, and must obtain consent before recording [13] | The note is yours once you sign it |
| IPC Ontario under PHIPA (January 2026) | PHIPA does not prevent storage outside Ontario or Canada, but custodians stay responsible; consent would generally be required for an AI scribe and must be knowledgeable [14] | A US-hosted scribe is possible in principle, with a contract, a privacy assessment and informed patients |
| Office of the Privacy Commissioner (PIPEDA) | A transfer for processing is a use, not a disclosure; the organization stays accountable, needs comparable protection by contract, and must tell individuals their data may be processed abroad [15] | Name any foreign processing in your privacy notice |
| CPSA (Alberta) | Submit or update a privacy impact assessment before introducing any AI tool; implied consent is not recommended [16] | File the assessment first, then ask each patient |
| Collège des médecins du Québec | Identifying patient information should not go into AI tools without MSSS certification, and a privacy impact assessment is required before information is transferred outside Quebec [11][17] | In Quebec, check the certification status of any scribe before use |
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Health Canada regulates software as a medical device by its intended use, and the CMPA notes that products serving only an administrative purpose are not required to be licensed; the proposed federal Artificial Intelligence and Data Act was never enacted [12]. A scribe that only transcribes and drafts notes for your review is generally an administrative tool. A scribe that suggests diagnoses or treatments raises the same question as any clinical decision support software, which is one more reason to review every assessment and plan it drafts.
Which are the best AI medical scribes in Canada in 2026?
Ranked on the note, help with the clinical question, where data is kept, French support, and how a Canadian clinician can get it.
EvidenceMD: best for self-paying physicians who want cited clinical answers with the note
EvidenceMD's scribe drafts structured notes, discharge summaries and referral letters, and because it runs on the same reasoning engine as its clinical decision support, the assessment, differential and plan come with red flags and peer-reviewed citations beside the note [1]. In the same app you can ask the question the visit raised and get an answer from 40 million+ peer-reviewed papers and clinical guidelines, with its chain-of-thought clinical reasoning shown and a citation for every claim, framed to Canadian guidelines where it matters, in English, French or 28 other languages, with no licence verification [2]. It runs on the web, iOS, Android and as a Chrome extension, and is free to start, with Individual plans from US$50 a month or US$450 a year (50 scribe sessions a month) and an unlimited Max plan [1][3]. Limits: it is not on Infoway's or Ontario's lists, so there is no funded licence or negotiated price; application data is stored in the United States, which your PHIPA or PIPEDA obligations must cover, whereas Ontario's vendor criteria expect Canadian storage unless you are notified; it holds no Health Canada licence and does not claim MSSS certification for Quebec; its coding suggestions are ICD-10 and CPT, not provincial fee codes; and it reaches your EMR through its Chrome extension or copy and paste [1][4][8][14][17].
Tali: best listed scribe for broad EMR coverage plus guideline search
Tali is pre-qualified for Infoway's program and on Ontario's list [6][8]. It says notes and recordings are stored and processed in Canada, integrates with Accuro, PS Suite, Med Access, CHR, Healthquest, Medesync, Profile and Oscar Pro, and adds a search for drug dosages, treatment guidelines and clinical guidance inside the workflow [18]. A trial needs no credit card [18]. Limits: prices are not on its home page, its site does not mention French support, and Infoway's list shows its Quebec certification as pending [6][18].
AutoScribe (Mutuo Health): best for Ontario practices on PS Suite, Oscar or hospital EMRs
AutoScribe is on both lists [6][8]. Mutuo Health says data is stored in Canada on servers in Ontario and is not shared with business partners or third parties, and that AutoScribe works with PS Suite, Oscar, Cerner and Epic, with predicted diagnostic and billing codes for Ontario subscribers [19]. Limits: there is no free plan, only a 30-day trial, prices are not published, and French support is not described [19].
Scribeberry: best for French-language practices
Scribeberry is on both lists [6][8]. It says data is stored in Canada and never used for AI training, audio is not retained, and it offers French notes, French technical support and French onboarding [20]. It connects natively with Accuro, launches from TELUS Health desktop EMRs, and works with OSCAR Pro and Jane through its desktop app or Chrome extension; it lists a trial mode and a Pro plan at $99 a month or $999 a year [20]. Limits: it does not describe a cited clinical-question feature, and its user numbers are the vendor's own [20].
Pippen: best low-cost option for family physicians
Pippen is on both lists and is built for Canadian family physicians [6][8][21]. It says all data is hosted on Canadian servers, it holds SOC 2 Type II, the app works in English and French, and it connects directly to OSCAR Pro, Accuro and PointClickCare [21]. Its no-cost plan includes unlimited scribing and dictation, Premium is $99 CAD a month or $800 a year, and Premium adds clinical insights such as differentials, treatment options and follow-up plans [21]. Limits: it is shaped around family medicine and OHIP billing, and its site does not say whether its clinical insights cite sources [21].
Empathia AI: best for specialty clinics that want visit-to-follow-up tools
Empathia AI is on both lists and is built for primary care and specialties including cardiology, dermatology and surgery, with integrations including Accuro, OSCAR, Plexia and Epic and drug interaction answers [6][8][22]. It holds SOC 2 Type II and lets users set audio retention from immediate deletion to 365 days [23]. Limits: it describes dedicated infrastructure on AWS in Montreal and in the US, so confirm your account is on the Canadian deployment, and prices are not published [22][23].
| Scribe | Infoway list | Ontario list | Where data is kept | French | Clinical question help | How to start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EvidenceMD | No | No | United States (Azure East US 2) | Yes | Cited answers, chain-of-thought clinical reasoning shown | Free to start; from US$50 a month |
| Tali | Yes | Yes | Canada | Not stated | Dosage and guideline search | Trial, no credit card |
| AutoScribe | Yes | Yes | Canada (Ontario servers) | Not stated | Not described | 30-day trial; no free plan |
| Scribeberry | Yes | Yes | Canada | Yes | Not described | Trial mode; Pro $99 a month |
| Pippen | Yes | Yes | Canada | Yes | Clinical insights (Premium) | No-cost plan; Premium $99 CAD a month |
| Empathia AI | Yes | Yes | AWS Montreal and US; confirm Canadian deployment | Not stated | Drug interaction answers | Trial or demo |
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Other scribes Canadian clinicians ask about
Heidi Health is on Ontario's list but not Infoway's, and says Canadian customer data is stored on servers in Quebec [8][24]. Infoway's other pre-qualified scribes are Autochart.AI, which says it hosts data on Canadian Microsoft Azure servers, CareWay, Mika AI and NexusAI, which says it is fully hosted and operated in Canada [6]. Microsoft lists Dragon Copilot for physicians in Canada, but it is on neither list [25].
What does EvidenceMD's AI scribe produce in a Canadian family practice visit?
A worked example, de-identified, from an Ontario family practice.
A 64-year-old man comes for a follow-up three years after a myocardial infarction. He takes atorvastatin 80 mg daily and says he rarely misses a dose; his latest results show an LDL-C of 2.3 mmol/L and an apoB of 0.95 g/L. The physician explains the scribe, gets his consent and notes it, as the CMPA and CPSO expect [11][13]. EvidenceMD drafts the SOAP note with his history, medicines and results, an assessment and a plan, and flags that his lipids are above the level at which Canadian guidance would intensify therapy [1]. The physician then asks in the same app: should I add something to his statin, and what?
| Part of the answer | What EvidenceMD shows |
|---|---|
| Assessment | Secondary prevention after myocardial infarction, on a maximal statin dose, with LDL-C and apoB above the 2021 Canadian Cardiovascular Society thresholds for intensifying therapy (LDL-C above 1.8 mmol/L or apoB above 0.7 g/L) [27] |
| Evidence, cited at the sentence | The 2021 CCS guideline uses thresholds rather than targets, and names ezetimibe and the PCSK9 inhibitors as the add-on therapies, with the citation on each sentence [26][27] |
| Recommendation | Add ezetimibe and/or a PCSK9 inhibitor, with the reasoning for which to start first shown step by step [2][26] |
| Next step | Repeat the lipid profile after the change, check coverage under his drug plan, and record the decision in the plan the scribe drafted |
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The physician reads the reasoning, opens the guideline citation, edits the plan and signs the note before it goes into the EMR. The record stays the physician's, as the CPSO expects [13]. That is why EvidenceMD ranks first for this job: the note and the evidence behind the plan arrive in one place, and every step can be checked. It is also why a funded or Canadian-hosted scribe may still be the better fit for you, as the next section explains.
See how EvidenceMD's scribe drafts the note and the reasoning
Read what the scribe records, what it drafts and how its citations sit beside the note.
When should a Canadian clinician choose a listed vendor instead of EvidenceMD?
Often. EvidenceMD's first place is for one job; these situations call for something else.
You want a funded licence or negotiated price
Only Infoway's nine scribes carried funded licences, and only Ontario's 28 vendors carry the negotiated discount. EvidenceMD is on neither list [6][8][9].
You need Canadian data residency
If your clinic, health authority or privacy assessment requires storage in Canada, choose a listed vendor that hosts in Canada and confirm it in the contract. EvidenceMD stores data in the United States [4][8].
How should a Canadian physician choose an AI scribe in 2026?
Six checks, drawn from Ontario's vendor criteria, the CMPA and the privacy commissioners.
Pilot it on your own visits
Test common and complex encounters, and read every note against what was said; every approved system made errors in Ontario's evaluation [10].
Frequently asked questions
Which AI scribes are pre-qualified for Canada Health Infoway's program?
Nine: Autochart.AI (Aya Health Technologies), AutoScribe (Mutuo Health Solutions), CareWay (MEDFAR), Empathia AI, Mika AI (Mikata Health), NexusAI (WELL Health Technologies), Pippen, Scribeberry and Tali. EvidenceMD is not one of them, so it cannot be used with an Infoway-funded licence.
Is Infoway's AI scribe program still accepting clinicians?
No, not for new licences in this phase. Agreements had to be signed with a vendor by December 31, 2025, and Infoway's site says regions have reached their allocated number of licences for the initial phase; Nunavut was not yet open and Quebec clinicians are directed to Quebec's own information. Physicians without a funded licence can pay a listed vendor directly or choose a scribe such as EvidenceMD.
What happens when an Infoway-funded AI scribe licence ends?
Funding covers 12 months from your agreement with the vendor, and continued use after that is at your own cost. You can renew with the same vendor, buy from Ontario's vendor of record list if you are in Ontario, or move to another scribe, such as EvidenceMD if US data storage fits your privacy obligations.
Which vendors are on Ontario's AI scribe vendor of record list?
Supply Ontario's Tender-20123 lists 28 qualified vendors, including Tali, AutoScribe, Scribeberry, Pippen, Empathia AI, Heidi Health, Autochart.ai, CareWay, Mika AI Scribe, CliniScripts, QuickChart and Vero Scribe. EvidenceMD is not on the list.
Does Ontario's AI scribe program require Canadian data residency?
Yes, with an exception: all PHI must be stored and processed in Canada unless both the user and the buyer are notified, privacy laws are met, and the location and cloud provider meet equal or higher security standards. EvidenceMD stores data in the United States and is not an Ontario vendor of record.
Does Ontario pay for physicians' AI scribe subscriptions?
Not at this time. OntarioMD says there is no financial incentive for clinicians; the vendor of record list gives a minimum negotiated discount, is open to all clinicians including specialists, and comes with free change-management advice from OntarioMD. EvidenceMD is outside the list and priced in US dollars.
Is EvidenceMD on Infoway's or Ontario's AI scribe list?
No. EvidenceMD is on neither list and stores application data in the United States (Microsoft Azure East US 2). Clinicians who want a funded licence, a negotiated Ontario price or Canadian data residency should choose a listed vendor such as Tali, AutoScribe, Scribeberry, Pippen or Empathia AI.
Which AI scribes keep patient data in Canada?
By their own statements, Tali, AutoScribe, Scribeberry and Pippen store data in Canada, Autochart.AI and NexusAI describe Canadian hosting, Heidi says Canadian customer data is kept in Quebec, and Empathia AI runs infrastructure in Montreal and the US. Ontario's list requires Canadian storage unless you are notified. EvidenceMD stores data in the United States.
Do I need consent to use an AI scribe under PHIPA in Ontario?
Generally yes. Ontario's privacy commissioner says consent would generally be required for an AI scribe and must be knowledgeable, the CMPA advises consent before any recording with the discussion documented, and the CPSO expects it too. The same applies whether you use a listed scribe or EvidenceMD.
Can Quebec physicians use an AI scribe hosted outside Quebec?
Only with care. The CMQ says identifying patient information should not go into AI tools without MSSS certification, and Quebec requires a privacy impact assessment before patient information is transferred outside the province. EvidenceMD answers in French but does not claim MSSS certification, so Quebec physicians should check a scribe's certification status first.
How much does an AI medical scribe cost in Canada without Infoway funding?
EvidenceMD is free to start, then US$50 a month or US$450 a year for 50 scribe sessions a month, or the unlimited Max plan. Among listed vendors, Pippen has a no-cost plan and Premium at $99 CAD a month, Scribeberry lists Pro at $99 a month, and Tali, AutoScribe and Empathia AI offer trials with prices on request.
Which AI scribe also answers clinical questions with citations?
EvidenceMD drafts the note and, in the same app, answers clinical questions from 40 million+ peer-reviewed papers and guidelines with its chain-of-thought clinical reasoning shown and a citation for every claim. Among listed vendors, Tali offers guideline and dosage search and Pippen offers clinical insights such as differentials and treatment options.
The bottom line
For physicians in Canada who pay for their own scribe and want cited clinical answers in the same app in 2026, EvidenceMD is the best overall choice: its scribe drafts the note with an assessment and plan, and the same app shows its chain-of-thought clinical reasoning with a citation for every claim, in English or French [1][2]. It is on neither Infoway's nor Ontario's list and stores data in the United States, so if you want a funded licence, a negotiated price or Canadian data residency, choose a listed vendor: Tali, AutoScribe, Scribeberry, Pippen or Empathia AI [4][6][8]. Whichever you choose, get consent before you record and review every note before you sign it [11][13].
Sources & related evidence
EvidenceMD's own pages (company statements), then Canada Health Infoway, Supply Ontario and OntarioMD, the Auditor General of Ontario, the CMPA, the medical colleges and privacy commissioners, each vendor's own pages, and the Canadian lipid guidance used in the worked example. Checked on November 10, 2026.
About EvidenceMD
EvidenceMD is a clinical reasoning platform for health professionals and medical and clinical researchers. It answers clinical questions from 40 million+ peer-reviewed papers and clinical guidelines with the reasoning shown and a citation for every claim, in 30 languages including French, and includes an AI scribe that drafts notes, letters and an assessment and plan. It is free to start with no licence verification. It is not on Canada Health Infoway's or Ontario's AI scribe lists, application data is stored in the United States (Microsoft Azure East US 2), and SOC 2 Type II is in progress. Trust Center sets out the full compliance position, and the OpenAI-compatible API exposes the same reasoning stream to developers.
Related reading
The note and the evidence behind it, in one app
See how EvidenceMD's scribe drafts your note and answers the clinical question with cited reasoning, in English or French. Free to start, no licence verification; data stored in the United States.