Canada's universal healthcare system is a source of national pride — and national frustration. The Fraser Institute's 2025 Waiting Your Turn report confirmed what every Canadian waiting for a specialist already knows: wait times are near historic highs. The median wait from a GP referral to treatment reached 28.6 weeks in 2025, down slightly from 30.0 weeks in 2024 but still 208% longer than the 9.3-week median recorded in 1993.
For some specialties, the numbers are even more stark. Orthopaedic surgery — hip and knee replacements — averaged 48.6 weeks from referral to treatment. Neurosurgery: 49.9 weeks. These are not bureaucratic abstractions. They represent months of pain, lost mobility, and deteriorating quality of life.
Wait Times by Province (2025)
Wait times vary dramatically across provinces. Ontario, with the largest population, reports the shortest median wait — but even 19.2 weeks is nearly five months from referral to treatment. Atlantic Canada faces the most severe delays.
| Province | Median Wait (Weeks) | Trend vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick | 60.9 | ▲ Increased |
| Prince Edward Island | 49.7 | ▲ Increased |
| Nova Scotia | 49.0 | ▲ Increased |
| Manitoba | 37.5 | ▲ Increased |
| Saskatchewan | 35.0 | ▼ Decreased |
| Québec | 32.5 | ▲ Increased |
| British Columbia | 32.2 | ▲ Increased |
| Alberta | 27.0 | ▼ Decreased |
| Ontario | 19.2 | ▼ Decreased |
Source: Fraser Institute, Waiting Your Turn, 2025. Medians reflect physician-reported waits across 12 medical specialties.
Wait Times by Specialty
The two specialties with the longest waits are precisely the ones most relevant to medical tourism:
- Neurosurgery: 49.9 weeks — the longest of any specialty
- Orthopaedic surgery: 48.6 weeks — hips, knees, shoulders
- Ophthalmology: 28+ weeks for cataract surgery (only 69% received within the 112-day benchmark)
- Plastic surgery: 25+ weeks
- General surgery: 20+ weeks
For cancer treatment, the picture is somewhat better — radiation oncology waits are 4.2 weeks and medical oncology 4.7 weeks. But for elective and semi-elective procedures, the system is clearly overwhelmed.
Why Wait Times Keep Getting Worse
The causes are structural, not temporary:
- Aging population — demand for joint replacements, cataract surgery, and cardiac procedures rises every year as the population ages
- Workforce shortages — 6.5 million Canadians do not have a family doctor, creating bottlenecks at the referral stage
- OR capacity — operating room time, nursing staff, and surgical beds have not expanded to match demand
- Post-pandemic backlog — while volumes have recovered (26% more hip replacements in 2024 vs 2019), the backlog persists
What 105,000 Canadians Are Doing About It
According to the Fraser Institute's Leaving Canada for Medical Care, 2025 report, an estimated 105,529 Canadians received non-emergency medical treatment outside Canada in 2025 — a 66% increase over the past decade. The most common procedures sought abroad include general surgery, urology, internal medicine, ophthalmology, and orthopaedic surgery.
Colombia as an Alternative: The Numbers
For Canadians specifically, Colombia offers several structural advantages:
- Timeline: 2–4 weeks from initial consultation to procedure, compared to 28.6+ weeks in Canada
- Direct flights: Toronto → Bogotá (6h 15min, Air Canada + Avianca, 3x daily); Toronto → Medellín (Air Transat, year-round); Montréal → Bogotá (8h 30min, Air Canada)
- Cost: 50–80% less than Canadian private-pay rates (and for procedures not covered by provincial plans, that is the only rate)
- Visa: No visa required — 90-day entry for Canadian passport holders
- Timezone: EST (same as Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal)
- Quality: WHO-ranked #1 in the Western Hemisphere, #22 globally (2000 Report). 6+ JCI-accredited hospitals. Board-certified surgeons verified through the ReTHUS national registry.
| Procedure | Canada Wait | Canada Private Cost (CAD) | Colombia Cost (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knee replacement | 48+ weeks | $25,000–$45,000 | $7,000–$17,000 |
| Hip replacement | 48+ weeks | $28,000–$50,000 | $8,000–$19,000 |
| Cataract surgery | 28+ weeks | $3,500–$5,000/eye | $1,500–$2,500/eye |
| Dental implant | Not covered | $3,000–$6,000 | $1,100–$2,000 |
| IVF cycle | Not covered (most provinces) | $10,000–$20,000 | $4,500–$9,500 |
Colombian costs are typical 2026 ranges in USD converted to CAD at approximate exchange rates. Not quotes. Actual costs vary by clinic, complexity, and package inclusions.
Is Medical Tourism Right for You?
Medical tourism is not the right choice for everyone. It works best when:
- You need an elective or semi-elective procedure with a long wait time
- Your procedure is not covered by your provincial plan (dental, cosmetic, fertility, LASIK)
- You are willing to travel and spend 1–3 weeks abroad for treatment and recovery
- You can arrange post-operative follow-up with a Canadian physician upon return
It is not appropriate for emergencies, complex multi-stage cancer treatment, or situations where continuity of care with your existing Canadian specialist is essential.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
Tell us what procedure you need and how long you have been waiting. We respond within 48 hours with clinic recommendations, pricing, and a realistic timeline.
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