Competing interests: Alexander Leung was involved in the development of the Hypertension Canada clinical practice guidelines (2016–2020) and is cochair of Hypertension Canada’s research and evaluation committee. He also reports grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Hypertension Canada, outside the submitted work. Alan Bell is a member of the board of directors of Hypertension Canada, cochair of the implementation and education committee (2016–present) and coauthor of the clinical practice guidelines (2020). Ross Tsuyuki is the president of Hypertension Canada (2020–present), cochair of the implementation and education committee (2017–present), member of the Implementation Research Task Force (2005–2011) and the Public Recommendations Task Force (2007–2010), and editor-in-chief of the Canadian Pharmacists Journal. He also reports consulting fees from Emergent Biosolutions, Shoppers Drug Mart and HLS Therapeutics, as well as an honorarium from Sanofi Genzyme. Norman Campbell is past president and special advisor to the board of the World Hypertension League, and is vice chair of the Canadian Hypertension Advisory Committee. He reports support from Resolve to Save Lives, World Bank, the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization related to involvement in hypertension control programs. He is also a consultant to the Hearts in the Americas Initiative of the Pan American Health Organization (2012–present), and a reviewer of the World Health Organization Hearts Program (2014–present). No other competing interests were declared.