In 2022, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) entered into a 15-year agreement with Grifols, a Spanish pharmaceutical company, with the intention of increasing national self-sufficiency for immunoglobulins (plasma protein products) and creating a more stable plasma supply in Canada. As of 2024, CBS collects roughly 13% of what Canada needs to support its demand for plasma protein products and the remainder comes from manufacturers which use plasma from paid donors in the United States. This partnership aims to ensure 50% of plasma sufficiency for immunoglobulins and to establish a domestic supply chain to produce them.

As of 2024, Grifols and Canadian Plasma Resources have opened pay-for-plasma clinics in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and New Brunswick, where pay-for-plasma clinics are legally permissible. The new partnership now makes it possible for Grifols to open clinics across the country including in provinces like Ontario and British Columbia that have legislation prohibiting pay-for-plasma clinics. The Voluntary Blood Donation legislation that exists in these provinces explicitly restricts payment for plasma, but includes an exemption for CBS and their “agents.” In this case, Grifols is acting as an 'agent' of CBS, meaning they can open pay-for-plasma clinics in any province with CBS' approval.

Notably, CBS has maintained it will keep voluntary blood and plasma donation clinics open, and CBS itself will not be paying for blood and plasma donations. They have stated that their existing 11 plasma donation centres will achieve approximately 25% of plasma self-sufficiency for plasma protein products and Grifols' plasma collection through its Canadian pay-for-plasma clinics will reach the remaining 25%, to hit CBS’ stated 50% target.

The agreement outlines that Grifols has an obligation to collect plasma through its Canadian centres and ensure the plasma remains in the country and is used for Canadian patients. Under the agreement, Grifols must continue to operate its existing centres and establish new plasma collection centres in Canada with CBS's approval. The plasma collected by Grifols will be processed into plasma protein products at a new manufacturing plant in Montreal to be up and running by 2026. Despite much controversy surrounding this partnership, Grifols is expected to open its first Ontario locations in Whitby, Cambridge, and Hamilton by late 2024 and into 2025.