A growing number of Canadians are waiting for medical care, with a new report estimating that as many as 5.8 million people are stuck in line for surgery, diagnostic scans, or specialist appointments. The findings, released this week by think tank SecondStreet.org, reveal that delays continue to worsen even as the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer driving the backlog.
“If you’re not on a waitlist yourself, you probably know someone who is,” said Dom Lucyk, director of communications with SecondStreet. “Canadians are tired of paying thousands in taxes for a system that isn’t delivering the care they need.”
For patients like Cathy Holding, the consequences are deeply personal. Holding has been waiting nearly two years for a hip replacement scheduled for January. The delay has left her struggling with daily pain and a dramatically altered lifestyle. “Even basic tasks like making a cup of tea or grocery shopping are difficult,” she said. “The frustration and depression—accepting your limitations—it’s all part of this whole mess.”
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, provinces are performing more surgeries in an effort to catch up: hip replacements were up 26 per cent in 2024 compared to 2019, knee replacements rose 21 per cent, and cataract surgeries increased 11 per cent. Cancer surgeries and diagnostic imaging also saw significant growth. But those gains are not enough to meet the rising demand from an aging population, combined with ongoing shortages of health-care workers.
SecondStreet.org is urging governments to consider structural reforms, including activity-based funding for hospitals. This model, used in Europe, Japan, and Australia, pays hospitals based on the number of procedures completed rather than providing a lump sum budget. Advocates argue the approach incentivizes efficiency and prioritizes patients.
For Holding, however, each day of waiting only compounds the problem. Her deteriorating hip is forcing her to shift her weight unnaturally, raising the likelihood she will soon need surgery on her other hip as well. “The longer I wait, the worse it gets,” she said.
Lucyk stressed that systemic change is urgently needed. “We can’t keep blaming COVID for the state of health care in Canada,” he said. “This is a deep, structural problem. Without real reform, wait times will only continue to grow.”