Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2023 Report

— Dec 7, 2023

Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2023 is an annual survey of physicians across Canada, finding a median wait time of 27.7 weeks—the longest ever recorded—with national wait times longest between a referral by a GP and plastic, orthopaedic, and neurosurgery, while shortest for radiation and medical oncology treatments.

Comparing Performance of Universal Health Care Countries, 2023

— Nov 16, 2023

Comparing Performance of Universal Health Care Countries, 2023 is a new study that compares 30 universal health-care systems in developed countries, finding that Canada has fewer doctors, hospital beds, MRIs, and longer wait times than comparable countries—despite ranking in the top third for spending.

Mental Health Care: How is Canada Doing?

— Oct 10, 2023

Mental Health Care: How is Canada Doing? compares Canada’s mental health services to other countries with universally accessible health care and finds that, despite the Canadian government spending a larger share of health dollars on mental health services, Canada has relatively fewer psychiatric care beds (ranking 22nd out of 28 nations), psychiatrists (ranking 16th out of 28 nations), and psychologists (ranking 15th out of 26 nations) in addition to growing wait times.

Subscribe to the Fraser Institute

Get the latest news from the Fraser Institute on the latest research studies, news and events.

Recent Health Care Commentaries and Blog Posts

Other countries with universal health care don’t have Canada’s long wait times

Mackenzie Moir, Bacchus Barua

In Germany, patients can seek private care while still insured by the public system.

Alberta government should reform hospital funding to help shorten wait times

Mackenzie Moir, Alicia Kardos

Appeared in the Edmonton Sun, September 26, 2024

Patients in the province faced a median wait time of 33.5 weeks for treatment.

Manitoba woman’s plight typical of Canada’s broken health-care system

Mackenzie Moir

Higher-performing universal health-care systems fund their hospitals based on services they provide.

B.C. government should improve health-care access at home rather than ship patients to U.S.

Mackenzie Moir, Alicia Kardos

Last year patients in the province faced a median wait of 27.7 weeks from GP referral to a specialist to treatment.

Here’s your annual bill for public health care

Bacchus Barua

Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, September 11, 2024

An average family of four will pay an estimated $17,713 for public health care this year.

Virtual care will break the Canada Health Act—and that’s a good thing

Bacchus Barua

Patients will simply bypass the Canadian system entirely by having virtual consultations with doctors abroad.

B.C. woman’s plight underscores need for urgent health-care reform

Bacchus Barua, Mackenzie Moir

Patients in the province faced a 34.8-week wait to receive neurosurgical treatment.

Endless spending increases will not fix Canada’s health-care system

Mackenzie Moir, Jake Fuss

From 1993 to 2023, health-care wait times have increased by 198 per cent.

Government meddling contributes to doctor exodus in Quebec

Bacchus Barua, Yanick Labrie

Australia’s health-care system costs less than Canada’s yet delivers more rapid access to health-care services.

Dearth of medical resources harms Canadian patients

Mackenzie Moir

Canada ranked 25th of 29 comparable countries with universal health care on the number of MRIs.

Research Experts

Dr. Jehangir Appoo

Associate Research Professor, University of Calgary
Bacchus Barua

Director, Health Policy Studies, Fraser Institute
Dr. Brett Belchetz

Practicing Emergency Room Physician
Nadeem Esmail

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Steven Globerman

Senior Fellow and Addington Chair in Measurement, Fraser Institute
David R. Henderson

Professor of Economics, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
Roberta Herzberg

Distinguished Senior Fellow, Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Yanick Labrie

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Kristina M.L. Acri, née Lybecker

Chair of the Department of Economics and Business, Colorado College
Mackenzie Moir

Senior Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute
Dr. Robert Ouellet

Former President, Canadian Medical Association
Dr. Nigel Rawson

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Michael Walker

Fraser Institute Founder and Honorary Director

Search form

Health Care

Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2023 Report

Comparing Performance of Universal Health Care Countries, 2023

Mental Health Care: How is Canada Doing?

Subscribe to the Fraser Institute

Research Experts