Alberta
Canada’s health-care wait times hit 27.7 weeks in 2023—longest ever recorded
From the Fraser Institute
By Mackenzie Moir and Bacchus Barua
Canadian patients waited longer than ever this year for medical treatment, finds a new study released by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
The study, an annual survey of physicians across Canada, reports a median wait time of 27.7 weeks—the longest ever recorded, longer than the wait of 27.4 weeks reported in 2022—and 198 per cent higher than the 9.3 weeks Canadians waited in 1993, when the Fraser Institute began tracking wait times.
“COVID-19 and related hospital closures have exacerbated, but are not the cause, of Canada’s historic wait times challenges,” said Bacchus Barua, director of the Fraser Institute’s Centre for Health Policy Studies and co-author of Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2023.
“Previous results revealed that patients waited an estimated 20.9 weeks for medically necessary elective care in 2019—long before the pandemic started.”
The study examines the total wait time faced by patients across 12 medical specialties from referral by a general practitioner (i.e. family doctor) to consultation with a specialist, to when the patient ultimately receives treatment.
More than 1,200 responses were received across the 12 specialties and 10 provinces. Among the provinces, Ontario recorded the shortest wait time at 21.6 weeks—still up from 20.3 weeks in 2022. Nova Scotia recorded the longest wait time in Canada at 56.7 weeks.
Among the various specialties, national wait times were longest between a referral by a GP and plastic (52.4 weeks), orthopedic (44.3) neurosurgery (43.5). Wait times were shortest for radiation (4.4 weeks) and medical oncology treatments (4.8 weeks). Patients also experience significant waiting times for various diagnostic technologies. This year, Canadians could expect to wait 6.6 weeks for a computed tomography (CT) scan, 12.9 weeks for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and 5.3 weeks for an ultrasound.
Crucially, physicians report that their patients are waiting over four and a half weeks longer for treatment (after seeing a specialist) than what they consider to be clinically reasonable.
“Excessively long wait times remain a defining characteristic of Canada’s health-care system” said Mackenzie Moir, Fraser Institute policy analyst and co-author of the report. “And they aren’t simply minor inconveniences, they can result in increased suffering for patients, lost productivity at work, a decreased quality of life, and in the worst cases, disability or death.”
Median wait times by province (in weeks)
PROVINCE 2022 2023
British Columbia 25.8 27.7
Alberta 33.3 33.5
Saskatchewan 30.1 31.0
Manitoba 41.3 29.1
Ontario 20.3 21.6
Quebec 29.4 27.6
New Brunswick 43.3 52.6
Nova Scotia 58.2 56.7
P.E.I. 64.7 55.2
Newfoundland and Labrador 32.1 33.3
Each year, the Fraser Institute surveys physicians across twelve specialties and the ten provinces in order to document the queues for visits to specialists and for diagnostic and surgical procedures in Canada. Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2023 Report reports the results of this year’s survey.
In 2023, physicians report a median wait time of 27.7 weeks between a referral from a general practitioner and receipt of treatment. This represents the longest delay in the survey’s history and is 198% longer than the 9.3 weeks Canadian patients could expect to wait in 1993.
Overall, Ontario reports the shortest wait across Canada (21.6 weeks) while Nova Scotia had the longest (56.7 weeks).
The 27.7 week total wait time that patients face can be examined in two consecutive segments:
- referral by a general practitioner to consultation with a specialist: 14.6 weeks;
- consultation with a specialist to receipt of treatment: 13.1 weeks.
After seeing a specialist, Canadian patients were waiting 4.6 weeks longer than what physicians consider clinically reasonable (8.5 weeks).
Across the ten provinces, the study also estimates that there were 1,209,194 procedures for which patients—3% of the Canadian population—were waiting in 2023.
Patients also face considerable delays for diagnostic technology. This year, Canadians could expect to wait 6.6 weeks for a CT scan, 12.9 for an MRI scan, and 5.3 weeks for an ultrasound.
Survey results suggest that, despite provincial strategies to reduce wait times, Canadian patients continue to wait too long for medically necessary treatment.
Data were collected from the week of January 16 to July 1, 2023, longer than the period of collection in years before the COVID19 pandemic. A total of 1,269 responses were received across the 12 specialties surveyed. However, this year’s response rate was 10.3% (lower than in some previous years). As a result, the findings in this report should be interpreted with caution.
Research has repeatedly indicated that wait times for medically necessary treatment are not benign inconveniences. Wait times can, and do, have serious consequences such as increased pain, suffering, and mental anguish. In certain instances, they can also result in poorer medical outcomes—
transforming potentially reversible illnesses or injuries into chronic, irreversible conditions, or even permanent disabilities. In many instances, patients may also have to forgo their wages while they wait for treatment, resulting in an economic cost to the individuals themselves and the economy in general.
The results of this year’s survey indicate that despite provincial strategies to reduce wait times and high levels of health expenditure, it is clear that patients in Canada continue to wait too long to receive medically necessary treatment.
Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2023 Report
By Mackenzie Moir and Bacchus Barua, with Hani Wannamaker
www.fraserinstitute.org
Authors:
Alberta’s government is helping students discover their skills and interests today, to help them find careers for tomorrow.
If passed, Budget 2025 will provide more than $100 million over three years for school boards to grow career education programs, including funding for more collegiate and dual-credit programs across Alberta.
“We are working to set students up for success by strengthening job-focused education. This money is helping schools partner with businesses, universities and colleges to create programs that will help students hit the ground running after they graduate.”
Career education helps students gain credits towards graduation while earning hands-on experience in fields like the trades, computer programming, health care, agriculture, culinary arts and more. These career education programs support a strong economy by helping students learn the skills they need to get in-demand jobs.
Collegiate schools
Collegiate schools work with businesses, universities and colleges to offer classes that give students pathways to education and careers in the job of their choice. There are 12 collegiate schools in Alberta, offering many different types of programming for grades 7-12, including aviation, graphic design, trades and more.
If passed, Budget 2025 provides more than $21 million to school boards to help fund special classrooms like carpentry workshops, film and media rooms, science laboratories, heavy equipment simulators and aircraft hangars. Another $6 million is being invested to support the start-up costs for new collegiate schools.
Dual-credit programs
Budget 2025, if passed, also provides $4.6 million in 2025/26 to start new or improve existing dual-credit programs. In partnership with universities and colleges, dual-credit programs give students a head start on rewarding careers by allowing them to earn high-school and post-secondary credits at the same time. Of the $4.6 million, $550,000 is being provided by Alberta Seniors, Community and Social Services for new and improved dual-credit health care aide programs.
“Health care aides play a critical role in ensuring Albertans receive the continuing care services they need to maintain their health, independence and quality of life. Our investments into career pathways for health care aides will provide opportunities for young Albertans to develop the skills they need to build a rewarding career in Alberta’s continuing care workforce.”
Another $1.4 million is being invested to support students participating in off-campus career education programs through CAREERS. This non-profit connects students to jobs in high-demand fields, such as the trades, technology, health, forestry and agriculture.
“Investments in collegiate and dual-credit programming are significant for Calgary Catholic as they further strengthen our collegiate and dual-credit programming. This programming will open opportunities for our students and help them to realize their full potential.”
“Before Fusion Collegiate, I felt lost and wasn’t really sure what to do after high school. Thanks to its career-focused learning and the opportunities through Fusion and The Educational Partnership Foundation, I’m now working as a first-year apprentice plumber with Mr. Rooter. The hands-on trades training, high school credits, safety certifications, and real-world skills I picked up completely changed my life. I’m excited about where my career is headed and really thankful for the support that helped me get here.”
Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta communities with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.
Quick facts
- If passed, Budget 2025 invests $102.4 million over three years to provide sustainable, predictable career education funding, and to increase access to career education for Alberta students.
- This includes $8.4 million over 2026-27 and 2027-28 to raise awareness among students and families of career education programs and pathways available to Alberta students.
- Career education in Alberta includes career and technology courses, Career and Life Management (CALM), dual-credit courses, collegiate schools, apprenticeships and off-campus education programming.
- Since 2013, more than 95,000 high school students participated in at least one dual–credit course.
- In spring 2025, Alberta Education will engage with education partners on best practices to bring more career education opportunities to students.
- Since 2022, education partners and almost 5,000 Albertans have provided their feedback on career education and workforce needs.
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Alberta
Photo radar to be restricted to School, Playground, and Construction Zones as Alberta ends photo radar era
Alberta’s government is fulfilling its promise to end Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE) in select locations while enhancing safety with a new Traffic Safety Fund.
For years, Alberta has had the most ATE sites of any jurisdiction in Canada with many serving as a “cash cow,” generating millions of dollars in revenue with no clear evidence they were improving traffic safety. Now, following thorough consultation and review of existing ATE sites, Alberta’s government is making significant changes to restore public trust in the use of photo radar.
Effective April 1, the updated ATE Technology Guideline will prohibit photo radar on numbered provincial highways and connectors, restricting it only to school, playground and construction zones. Intersection safety devices in Alberta will also be limited to red light enforcement only, ending the “speed-on-green” ticketing function.
“We have officially killed the photo radar cash cow and the revenue-generating “fishing holes” that made Alberta the biggest user of photo radar in Canada. The updated guideline will ensure that photo radar is used for safety only. The new provincial traffic safety fund will support municipalities in physical improvements at key intersections, helping to reduce traffic risks and enhance safe roads.”
Alberta’s government has also created a new $13-million Traffic Safety Fund for municipalities to upgrade local roads and intersections that pose demonstrated safety risks. Details will be made available on how to apply for the Traffic Safety Fund, once the application process has been finalized.
“This shift ensures that photo radar is used where it matters most – near schools, playgrounds and construction zones. Traffic enforcement should be about protecting people, not generating revenue. The new Traffic Safety Fund gives municipalities the tools to make targeted improvements to roads and intersections with real safety concerns. Keeping Edmontonians safe on our streets must always remain the priority.”
“Shifting photo radar to playgrounds and construction zones enhances safety where it matters most – protecting our children and workers on Calgary’s roads. I’m proud to back this important step toward safer communities.”
“The Traffic Safety Fund is a welcome addition to the overall funding available to municipalities. The Rural Municipalities of Alberta support a dynamic approach to managing traffic safety.”
Municipalities are encouraged to use traffic calming measures instead of photo radar but may request provincial approval for an exemption to the photo radar ban in high-collision locations. To do so, municipalities must submit a business case detailing high-collision frequency and severity at the site, relative to similar locations, and demonstrate how other safety measures are not possible or will be ineffective. To be approved for an exemption, they must also commit to audit the exempted site every two years to assess the effectiveness of photo radar in reducing collisions at that location.
The updated ATE Technology Guideline also includes parameters around equipment testing and maintenance, data collection and reporting requirements, traffic safety plans, signage and public communication of photo radar locations.
Quick facts
- On April 1, the new ATE 2025 Technology Guideline comes into force.
- The newly created Traffic Safety Fund will provide $13 million over three years to help municipalities re-engineer intersections to reduce collisions:
- $1 million in 2025-26
- $2 million in 2026-27
- $10 million in 2027-28
- Alberta first introduced photo radar in 1987.
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