Vancouver BC, — May 6, 2025
Long waits for medical treatment cost Canadian patients nearly $5.2 billion in lost wages last year, according to a new report from the Fraser Institute.
The study estimates that roughly 1.5 million Canadians waiting for medically necessary procedures in 2024 lost an average of $3,364 each due to delays. These costs reflect wages lost and reduced productivity during working hours due to long wait times.
“Waiting for treatment continues to be a defining feature of Canada’s health-care system,” said Nadeem Esmail, a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute. “Beyond the health consequences, these delays take a toll on patients’ time with family, work, and overall quality of life.”
Based on data from the institute’s annual Waiting Your Turn survey, the median wait from referral to specialist treatment in 2024 was 30 weeks—15 weeks to see a specialist and another 15 for treatment.
Costs varied significantly by province. Patients in Prince Edward Island experienced the highest per-person cost of waiting ($6,592), followed by those in New Brunswick ($6,210) and Quebec ($4,261). Ontario patients faced the lowest average cost at $2,511. In these provinces, wait time is strongly related to money lost.
The report emphasizes that these figures likely underestimate the total economic impact, as they exclude out-of-pocket costs and non-working hour losses.
Average Cost of Wait Time by Province
| Province | Average Cost of Waiting (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Prince Edward Island | $6,592 |
| New Brunswick | $6,210 |
| Quebec | $4,261 |
| Alberta | $3,732 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $3,674 |
| Saskatchewan | $3,398 |
| British Columbia | $3,101 |
| Manitoba | $2,784 |
| Ontario | $2,511 |
| Nova Scotia | $2,387 |
