Canada’s health care system is in crisis—and the numbers make it impossible to ignore.

Nearly 1.6 million Canadians were waiting for treatment last year. That delay isn’t just measured
in frustration—it’s costing households, businesses, and governments billions in lost revenue.
The average Canadian waits 15 weeks between seeing a specialist and receiving treatment.

Worse, these delays are deadly. Between April 2023 and March 2024, at least 15,474 patients
died while waiting for surgery or diagnostic scans. That number is likely even higher, as some
provinces report only partial data.

Meanwhile, defenders of the status quo point south to the U.S., hoping to shut down discussion
of reform by invoking its high costs and lack of universal coverage. But this argument is a
distraction from the real issue: Canada’s system is underperforming, despite massive spending.

Over the past 30 years, health care spending in Canada has more than doubled the rate of
inflation. Yet wait times continue to grow. According to the Consumer Choice Center, Canada
ranks among the highest spenders on health care in the OECD, but lags behind in basic
infrastructure—fewer doctors, hospital beds, CT scanners, and MRI machines per capita.

Clearly, spending more is not the solution.

So, what is?

We need a system that empowers patients with choice and encourages competition—a model
already working in countries like Germany and the Netherlands. These countries have universal
health care, but deliver faster, more efficient care at a lower cost. Their secret? Flexibility.

Take the Netherlands: citizens are required to purchase basic health insurance, with services
funded by a mix of tax dollars and individual premiums. This hybrid model gives patients the
freedom to choose their providers, spurring competition, innovation, and accountability.

It’s time Canada looked outward—not to fear other systems, but to learn from what works.

Canadians deserve better than long waitlists, billions in lost productivity, and a one-size-fits-all
system that no longer delivers. The path forward is not higher taxes—it’s more choice, smarter
policy, and a willingness to evolve.

The time to reform Canadian health care is now.

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