Medical wait times cost Canadian patients almost $5.2 billion in lost wages last year

VANCOUVER— Long waits for surgery and medical treatment cost Canadians almost $5.2 billion in lost wages and productivity last year, finds a new study released by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

An estimated 1.5 million patients waited for medically necessary treatment last year, and each lost an estimated $3,364 (on average) due to lost wages and reduced productivity during working hours.

“Waiting for medically necessary treatment remains a hallmark of the Canadian health-care system, and in addition to increased pain and suffering—and potentially worse medical outcomes—these long waits also cost Canadians time at work and with family and friends,” said Nadeem Esmail, a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute.

The study, The Private Cost of Public Queues for Medically Necessary Care, 2025, draws upon data from the Fraser Institute’s annual Waiting Your Turn survey of Canadian physicians who, in 2024, reported the national median waiting time from specialist appointment to treatment was 15 weeks.

Crucially, the $5.2 billion in lost wages is likely a conservative estimate because it doesn’t account for the additional 15 week wait to see a specialist after receiving a referral from a general practitioner.

Taken together, the total median wait time in Canada for medical treatment was 30 weeks in 2024.

“As long as lengthy wait times define Canada’s health-care system, patients will continue to pay a price in lost wages and reduced quality of life,” said Esmail.

Because wait times and incomes vary by province, so does the cost of waiting for health care. Residents of Prince Edward Island in 2024 faced the highest per-patient cost of waiting ($6,592), followed by New Brunswick ($6,210) and Quebec ($4,261).

Average value of time lost during the work week in 2024 for patients waiting for medically necessary treatment