Q&A with Kyle: How CFP will move the profession forward

As a professor and Director of the College of Pharmacy at Dalhousie University, Dr. Kyle Wilby’s experience spans community and hospital roles in Canada, as well as public health positions overseas in Ghana, Qatar and New Zealand. A board member of the Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy since March 2025, he shares his insights here on why the Foundation is poised to play a key role in moving the profession forward.

Why did you join CFP’s board?

I was overseas for 10 years and when I came back in 2021, I became familiar with CFP and the great work they were doing. I was particularly impressed with the projects they were funding and the awards they were providing as I saw it as a good way to promote the profession and the people within it. In my current role in research and academia, I thought my experience would be useful and I could also learn from others within the Foundation’s leadership team.

Tell us more about the expertise you bring to the Board.

My international pharmacy experience is certainly one area of expertise, and having worked in academic settings and consulting. I also identify as an LGBTQ+ person so I bring a new perspective in terms of representing diverse groups that could benefit from CFP’s work. I have also lived in Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, so I represent provinces that are smaller but leading the way in pharmacy practice.

Given your experiences abroad, how does pharmacy in Canada compare?

We’re investing in innovation and cutting-edge pharmacy practice here more so than in many other countries. We’re seeing more desire for scope of practice change and broader roles for pharmacists in Canada’s healthcare system.

What role can CFP play in advancing the profession?

While we’ve got the desire to advance pharmacy, we’re not going to be able to take these initiatives forward in some parts of the country without data. By investing in research—especially those grassroots projects from researchers in communities who may not have access to institutional funding—CFP is providing new opportunities. We’re giving researchers the chance to develop their projects and hopefully implement and sustain them. I’m excited about CFP’s new strategic direction, which will enable even more impactful funding opportunities.