Long waits for treatment affected 1.5 million Canadians in 2024
An estimated 1.5 million Canadians were waiting for medically necessary surgeries and other treatments in 2024, with a heavy impact on their income.
A new study from the Fraser Institute estimates that waiting for treatment cost an average $3,364 in lost wages and productivity per person, adding up to more than $5 billion in total. But the total is likely higher as it does not include the typical 15 week wait to see a specialist after receiving a referral from a general practitioner.
The report highlights an increase last year compared to 2023’s estimated $3.5 billion cost of waiting.
“Waiting for medically necessary treatment remains a hallmark of the Canadian health-care system, and in addition to increased pain and suffering—and potentially worse medical outcomes—these long waits also cost Canadians time at work and with family and friends,” said Nadeem Esmail, a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute.
With the delay between GP referral and specialist consultation and then the time between that and the treatment, the median wait time was 30 weeks.
“As long as lengthy wait times define Canada’s health-care system, patients will continue to pay a price in lost wages and reduced quality of life,” said Esmail.
And the impact on wages and productivity varies between provinces, ranging from $3,101 in British Columbia to $3,674 in Newfoundland and Labrador. Wait times range from a total 23.6 weeks in Ontario to 77.4 weeks for Prince Edward Island.
There is also wide variation between wait times for different procedures according to the Fraser Institute’s report Waiting Your Turn. Patients wait longest between a GP referral and orthopaedic surgery (57.4 weeks), while those waiting for radiation treatments begin treatment in 4.5 weeks.
