Canada’s Health Care Crisis: Long Wait Times and Rising Deaths

The state of Canada’s health care system is under intense scrutiny as long wait times and inadequate care continue to plague patients. A recent account highlighted the distressing experience of a carpenter’s eight-year-old daughter, who suffered from a serious injury and waited nearly eleven hours for triage in a hospital emergency room. Such occurrences raise critical questions about the efficacy of the government-run health care model, where many families struggle to access timely medical attention.

According to data from the Foundation for Economic Education, more than 1.3 million Canadians abandoned emergency room visits in 2023 due to excessive wait times. Some hospitals faced overwhelming demand, operating at more than 200 percent capacity, which forced patients into hallways and onto floors. The situation has only worsened over the past two years, shedding light on fundamental flaws in Canada’s health care system.

Research by Calgary think tank secondstreet.org indicates that approximately 15,000 Canadians die annually while awaiting diagnostic scans or surgeries. This figure could be even higher, as not all provinces disclose this data. Nadeem Esmail, a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute, emphasizes that despite Canada’s universal health care system being one of the most expensive globally, it ranks poorly in terms of access to physicians, diagnostic scans, and hospital beds.

Challenges in Access to Care

A report from the U.S.-based Commonwealth Fund highlights that Canada consistently ranks at or near the bottom among high-income countries regarding timely access to health care. A significant contributing factor is the lack of private-pay options, which are available in virtually all other nations with advanced health systems.

Dr. Brian Day, a prominent orthopedic surgeon and former head of the Canadian Medical Association, provides insight into the historical context of these challenges in his memoir, My Fight for Canadian Health Care. He recounts how, throughout the 1980s, the Medicare system dealt with budget constraints by progressively cutting surgical hours, which severely impacted patient care. In response, Dr. Day and his colleagues established Cambie Surgery, a private surgical center offering various procedures often at half the cost of the public system. This initiative aimed to alleviate pressure on public hospitals by reducing wait times.

The introduction of Cambie Surgery faced significant opposition. In 2009, the B.C. Nurses Union lobbied for the shutdown of private clinics under the Medicare Protection Act. This led to a protracted legal battle culminating in a ruling by the B.C. Appeals Court, which acknowledged that “wait times in considerable measure flow from government rationing of health care.” Despite this acknowledgment, the court ultimately ruled against Cambie Surgery.

Political Promises and Systemic Issues

The question now arises: how will leaders like Mark Carney address the escalating dysfunction within the Canadian health care system? During his campaign, Carney committed to adding “thousands of new doctors,” a promise that would necessitate substantial increases in medical school enrollments. While more physicians could alleviate some pressures, the overarching issue remains the current structure of a government-driven health care system that heavily limits private competition.

As noted by various commentators, including those at the Fraser Institute, government-run bureaucracies often struggle to provide efficient services, leading to significant human costs. The ongoing crisis highlights a stark reality: the toll on Canadians who are ill, injured, or in critical conditions is profound and tragic.

The growing calls for reform signal a demand for a more effective health care model that prioritizes patient access and timely care. As Canada grapples with these pressing issues, the need for innovative solutions becomes increasingly urgent.