Median wait times to receive medical treatment in Canada 2024, by province
In 2024, Canada's median waiting time between a General practitioner (GP) referral to a specialist was 15 weeks. In addition, the median waiting time from a specialist appointment to treatment was another 15 weeks. In other words, the median wait from a referral by GP to treatment in Canada reached an average of 30 weeks in 2024. However, the median waiting times in Canada ranged from 23.6 weeks in Ontario to 77.4 weeks in Prince Edward Island.
Wait times also varied widely by specialty, with those waiting for cancer radiation therapy waiting just 4.5 weeks between GP and treatment, while those waiting for an orthopedic surgery waited over a year.