Alberta
Albertans endure some of the longest health-care waits in Canada
From the Fraser Institute
By Mackenzie Moir and Tegan Hill
Alberta’s long wait times come despite high levels of health-care spending. The province ranked second-highest on health-care spending per person (adjusted for age and sex) among provinces in 2021
Last week, the president of the Alberta Medical Association sounded the alarm about Alberta hospital wait times, saying they’re as “as bad as we’ve seen it in 25 years.”
But in fact, it’s worse than that.
According to a new study, in Alberta the median wait in 2023 between a family doctor’s referral for a specialist appointment and receipt of treatment was 33.5 weeks—that’s the longest total median wait outside the Maritime provinces and almost six weeks longer than the national median wait (27.7 weeks). And Albertans now wait 23 weeks longer than they did in 1993 when the wait for care was only 10.5 weeks.
Alberta’s long wait times come despite high levels of health-care spending. The province ranked second-highest on health-care spending per person (adjusted for age and sex) among provinces in 2021, the latest year of available data. In 2023/24, health-care spending will consume a projected 41.2 per cent of Alberta’s program spending.
Moreover, Canada itself is a relatively high spender among universal health-care countries, yet ranks poorly on the availability of hospital beds, doctors and key diagnostic technologies such as MRIs. In other words, Alberta is a comparatively high spender and poor performer in an already high spending and poorly performing country.
Of course, there are serious consequences from lengthy delays for medically necessary care including ongoing pain, worsening of health outcomes and psychological distress. Unfortunately for Albertans, the median wait for treatment after seeing a specialist was almost two months longer than what doctors in the province consider reasonable.
The unreasonableness of these waits also varied significantly depending on the specialty. For example, after seeing a specialist, Albertans who needed an orthopedic procedure, which includes knee replacements and spinal surgeries, could expect to wait 40.1 weeks for care—more than 28 weeks longer than what physicians deemed reasonable that year. For those needing care for ears, nose and throat, the wait for treatment was 13 weeks beyond what’s considered appropriate.
Regardless of the specialty, waiting for treatment has become the defining issue for health care in Alberta. And these waits have been increasing since at least the early ’90s. The president of the Alberta Medical Association is right to sound the alarm, but the province’s health-care system has been struggling for years. Albertans obviously deserve better than this, but without a fundamental departure from the status quo they’re unlikely to see any long-term relief from the unreasonable waits they endure for routine care.
Authors:
From the YouTube channel of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith
Members of the media join Premier Danielle Smith for a round table on January 21, 2025.
Yakk Stack By Sheldon Yakiwchuk
Prior to Trumps inauguration event and announcement was made that Trump would not be imposing the 25% tariffs…
Which means, Canada seriously dodged a bullet here.
And while the Liberals will most likely frame this as, their success in showing, Bad Orange Man, that they’re tough and ready to burn down what is left of our economy, throwing Alberta under the bus, first…through a nuclear option…
Premier Smith rode this challenge out like the true champion we knew that she would be.
It’s hard to say if this was a legality matter in the grander scheme…or if the 25% tariffs would have truly been as big of an impact on the US…
One thing is clear, however…
Smith was ready to go to the tables with the Trump administration and opt for diplomacy over threats…which should be what we expect from our leaders.
And should these 25% tariffs have gone through…I’m more than sure a Plan B would have been brought out in civil conversations, over screeching rhetoric.
“She’s treasonous”, they screeched.
“She’s supporting her friends in Oil and Gas”, they relent.
“She should put Canada first”, they echo…
And let’s just address these…
Is Walmart beholden to Campbells soup? Fruit of the Loom? Kraft?
Or does Walmart sell products that helps keep their doors open?
Walmart is not beholden to any product…just like Premier Smith isn’t. We have 26% of our GDP – the largest portion – owed to Alberta O&G, something that we have a limited trade partner with, due to the Liberal – Anti-Alberta/Anti-O&G/Anti-Pipeline attitude that wants to spend us further in debt with unreliable and expensive “Renewables”.
What does Alberta get from renewables?
A higher cost for energy, in an affordability crisis, created by the same people who continue to push them…sounds like a terrible deal, for Albertans, and something a true leader would Not Favor.
When Walmart sits down to hash out a deal with Heinz, are they committing treason because they haven’t shown their allegiance to their own, ‘Great Value’ brand Ketchup?
No…other provinces have their own industries and resources, which they are free to continue developing independent of the federal government, as is suitable and supportive of their own economies…Alberta isn’t competing with them, nor Canada as a whole.
Alberta through industry and resource, actually supports Canada through a grand imbalance on “Equalization Payments”…
As do we through paying 50% more into the Canada Pension Plan, than we actually get out of the Canada Pension Plan…to the tune of a $334 Billion Dollars.
And as for this “Team Canada”, horseshit…
The title Premier of Alberta, should hold some clues as to who Premier Smith should be advocating for…as she is the Premier of Alberta and Not the Prime Minister, nor leader in the Liberal Party that has created this fiasco, to begin with.
Rail, as they may…other provinces can’t cast a vote in her support, either way…
None of the other provinces, through Members of Parliament, nor through Premiers, came to support Alberta and our economy through a number of Federal Bills that railed on our provincial resources…
Worse yet…these hypocrites cash cheques from our province, while telling us how to diversify our economy…to which I’d state one thing unequivocally…
If we wanted to be a Have Not Province…like you are…we’ll come and ask you for your advice.
Until then…
I’ll hold my Alberta Flag Higher than my Canadian…
And be proud today, of having the only Premier in the country of Canada, worthy of any praise today!
Nanaimo syringe stabbing reignites calls for involuntary care
Mark Carney would be bad for Canada
ESG Is Collapsing And Net Zero Is Going With It
Mark Zuckerberg Tells Joe Rogan That Biden Admin Would ‘Scream’ And ‘Curse’ At Meta Employees To Censor ‘True’ Content
-
Catherine Herridge2 days agoReturn of the Diet Coke Button
-
Business1 day agoFreeland and Carney owe Canadians clear answer on carbon taxes
-
Censorship Industrial Complex2 days agoWEF Davos 2025: Attendees at annual meeting wrestling for control of information
-
Business1 day agoLiberals to increase CBC funding to nearly $2 billion per year
-
Brownstone Institute1 day agoThe Deplorable Ethics of a Preemptive Pardon for Fauci
-
Business1 day ago
Carney says as PM he would replace the Carbon Tax with something ‘more effective’
-
Business1 day agoUK lawmaker threatens to use Online Safety Act to censor social media platforms
-
Daily Caller1 day agoBiden Pardons His Brother Jim And Other Family Members Just Moments Before Trump’s Swearing-In