Un-Canadian, Eh?: Debunking Myths About Private Surgery in Canada
In this article, you’ll find:
Introduction: Canada’s Healthcare Crisis
Debunking Myths:
Myth #1: Private Surgery is New
Myth #2: Private Surgery is Illegal
Myth #3: Private Surgery is Un-Canadian
Canada’s Healthcare Crisis: Time for a Rethink
In my first week of medical school, a faculty physician giving our orientation confidently declared, “Canada has the best healthcare system in the world.”
It’s a trope many millennials and older generations know well. We were taught that Tommy Douglas was a hero, and that to be Canadian was to believe in great healthcare for all. It was part of our national identity.
The Myth of the “Best Healthcare System in the World”
But even in 2015, the room felt divided. Some students nodded in agreement. Others sat quietly. A few of us exchanged knowing glances, silently acknowledging an uncomfortable truth: that statement just wasn’t true anymore.
If that doctor gave that same talk today, it would probably be met with uproarious laughter.
These days, we can't get through a single news cycle without hearing how our healthcare system is failing. Emergency rooms are shutting down, record numbers of Canadians are without a family doctor, and surgical wait times in Canada are worse than ever. It’s becoming increasingly clear: our public healthcare system is in crisis.
Is Private Surgery the Solution?
Some critics of private surgery in Canada argue that more public funding is the solution to our healthcare crisis. While this sounds good in theory, it’s an overly simplistic response–and one we’ve already tried.
Here’s the reality:
In 2023, Canada spent $344 billion on healthcare, or 12% of its GDP. Taxpayer dollars paid for over 70% of this.
So, if we’re talking about boosting that funding, this means only one thing: higher taxes.
But here’s the problem: Canada is already one of the most heavily taxed countries in the world. And with post-pandemic inflation still lingering, a mounting trade war with the US and a looming global financial recession, it’s hard to imagine a lineup of eager patriots ready to donate more of their paycheques to the taxman.
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Private Surgery in Canada: Fact vs Myth
Unlike the myth of our healthcare system being the best in the world, those surrounding private surgery in Canada are still widely believed. This is unfortunate given that it could be one of the key solutions to our worsening healthcare crisis.
To help disavow my fellow Canadians of these common misconceptions, I’ll go through the three myths that I consider to be the most widely believed and most counter-productive to our healthcare progress.
Myth #1: Private Surgery is New
You might think private surgery is some recent, rogue trend. It’s not. Private surgery (and healthcare, more broadly) has been in the news a lot lately, but it’s nothing new to Canada.
For instance, British Columbia has offered surgery to out-of-pocket payers since the 1970s. The Vancouver Plastic Surgery Centre, the first large private centre of its kind, opened in 1989. This paved the way for a slew of now-prominent centres to set up shop, such as the False Creek and Cambie surgery centres. Meanwhile, Quebec has allowed surgery to be performed in private centres since a Supreme Court ruling in 2005.
Private surgery in Canada isn’t anything new to the past 10 years, but the rapidly growing demand for it is. A few of the key drivers for this pent-up demand are:
Population growth: Over 1 million people immigrated to Canada in 2023 alone.
Aging demographic
Bottlenecks in specialist training and licensing
Retention issues due to physician burnout
The drivers for the increased demand for private surgery are the same factors straining the public system. Canada’s healthcare system is buckling under the weight of its growing, aging population. To make matters worse, our healthcare infrastructure is not keeping pace with our population growth, and we’re not training and retaining enough surgical specialists. Our system has stagnated, and Canadians are waiting longer as a result.
Myth #2: Private Surgery Is Illegal
Many Canadians assume that private surgery is illegal nationwide. It’s not.
While there are limits on which procedures you can pay for—and where—the laws around private surgery in Canada aren’t especially complex.
Here are a few key things to know:
You can’t pay for faster access to a publicly covered procedure in your home province.
Uninsured procedures, like most cosmetic surgeries, can be paid for privately.
Emergency care in another province is typically covered by your provincial plan.
Elective procedures in another province are not covered. You’ll pay out-of-pocket.
Want to dig deeper? Read more about how private surgery works in Canada.
Myth #3: Private Surgery is Un-Canadian
This is the myth that strikes closest to our identity as Canadians. It’s also that one that invokes our fears of what we might become. Canadians are allergic to Americanization.
Canadian innovation, not “American-style” privatization
For better or worse, we Canadians care deeply about not becoming too similar to our neighbours to the south. So when private surgery gains visibility, it’s understandable that many worry about a slippery slope—one that could lead to a hyper-privatized system replacing our long-cherished public one.
Critics often cry foul at the mere mention of a “two-tier system,” but that framing misrepresents what most advocates for private options in Canada are actually arguing for.
Rather than two tiers stacked vertically—one for the rich and one for everyone else—it’s more accurate to picture two beams running in parallel, supporting the same weight: our growing healthcare needs.
Not separate tiers, but complementary arms
Let’s be clear: universal healthcare is a core Canadian value, and privately funded surgery should never replace public options. But it can help relieve pressure on the system.
We’ve even seen this work in our own backyard
The Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative (SSI) is a real-world example of how provinces can leverage excess capacity in private clinics to reduce public wait times. The Fraser Institute has written extensively about the program’s success—private clinics helped cut Saskatchewan’s surgical wait times nearly in half.
And Canada isn’t alone in doing this.
What We Can Learn From Abroad
The United Kingdom’s National Health Service—a proudly universal, publicly funded system—has long partnered with private surgical providers to deliver non-urgent procedures when public hospitals face capacity crunches. These collaborations have helped manage wait times without undermining public healthcare.
In fact, the NHS's approach shows how public and private systems can work together, not in opposition. It’s not about replacing the public model—it’s about reinforcing it when it’s under pressure.
How Public and Private Healthcare Can Work Together
This debate isn’t about choosing between public or private care—it’s about innovation through collaboration.
Canada’s universal healthcare system is worth protecting, but protecting it doesn’t mean resisting all forms of change. Protecting universal care requires being proactive and open to solutions that can relieve pressure, reduce wait times, and help the system run more efficiently.
That’s where private surgery can help—not as a replacement, but as a release valve. It can be a complementary option for patients stuck in limbo, and a tool for policymakers to tap into when public capacity falls short.
Want to learn more about how to get surgery faster in Canada? Check out our complete guide to your options in both the public and private systems.
Surgency makes private surgery more accessible
At Surgency, we believe in giving patients options in charting their healthcare path. Our goal is to make private surgery transparent and accessible, and to put you in the driver’s seat.
Whether you're a patient exploring your options or simply curious about how private surgery works in Canada, we’re here to help.
