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About Surgency
No. Surgency is a free directory of accredited private surgical providers. We don't see patients, book appointments or perform surgery.
When you request a consult, your request goes to the clinic you chose. Their team contacts you directly by phone or email, usually within 1–2 business days. Calls may come from a number you don't recognize, so check your voicemail and spam folder.
We do not rank, match, or recommend surgeons. You choose who to contact.
After you submit a request in the Surgeon Finder, you'll see a confirmation on screen and receive a confirmation email at the address you entered.
If you don't see the email, check your spam or promotions folder. If 2 business days pass with no email and no call from the clinic, contact us and we'll confirm your request was delivered.
We can't. Surgency has no access to clinic booking systems, referrals or medical records, so only the clinic can answer questions about your file. Here's how to reach them:
- Use the phone number or email in the clinic's messages to you, or on the clinic's own website.
- Have your full name, date of birth, home province and the date your referral was sent.
- If your doctor sent the referral, ask their office for the fax or e-referral confirmation.
Contact the clinic directly for surgery dates, pre-op instructions, quotes and results too.
No. Surgency is an educational resource, and using it doesn't create a physician-patient relationship. We can't assess your symptoms, read your imaging, or tell you how serious your condition is or whether you need surgery.
Your family doctor, a walk-in clinic or a surgeon at consultation can. In most provinces you can also call 811 to speak with a registered nurse at any time.
Eligibility & provinces
It depends on your province and whether the procedure is publicly insured. If your provincial plan covers a surgery, surgeons enrolled in that plan can't accept private payment from residents of that province. Surgeons who have opted out of the public plan can, but outside Québec they are rare.
Uninsured procedures, such as most cosmetic surgery, can be paid for privately in any province.
The only province where physicians can't opt out of the public plan. Ontario residents can't pay privately in Ontario for OHIP-insured surgery. So some choose to travel out-of-province for private surgery.
Many surgeons opted-out surgeons can bill Québec residents directly. RAMQ doesn't reimburse these fees. See the Québec question below.
Very few surgeons have opted out of the public plan. Alberta is changing its rules on surgeons working in both systems, so check each surgeon's profile for whether they can see Alberta residents privately.
Opting out of MSP is allowed, but only a handful of physicians have done so. Most BC surgeons can't treat BC residents privately for insured surgery.
Opting out is allowed only where it doesn't reduce access to insured services, so private options for insured surgery are rare.
Physicians must bill at the provincial fee schedule, even if opted out, so private-pay options for insured surgery are very limited.
Physicians must bill at the provincial fee schedule, so private-pay options for insured surgery are very limited.
Opting out is allowed but rare. Patients who agree to private services give up Medicare reimbursement for those charges.
Opting out is allowed, but there are few or no opted-out surgeons.
There are no private surgical clinics in the territories, so private surgery means travelling to a province.
Rules change. Each surgeon's profile shows which residents they can treat privately. Updated November 2026.
Most surgeons work in the public system. Under provincial law, a surgeon enrolled in a provincial plan can't charge that province's residents for services the plan covers.
The same surgeon can treat patients from other provinces privately, because those patients aren't insured by the local plan for elective care. On Surgency profiles you'll see this as, for example, “Private unavailable for BC residents.”
Some Canadians choose to travel because of limited private surgical options available within their province, since surgeons cannot treat residents of their home province for publicly insured surgeries (e.g. knee replacement).
Out-of-province patients can pay privately in any province where private surgical clinics operate. Surgency lists providers in several provinces, including British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Québec. Each profile shows which residents the surgeon accepts.
Consultations are usually virtual, and many follow-ups can be too, so most patients travel only for surgery and the first days of recovery. Read how aftercare works when you travel.
Québec has three categories of physicians, and which one a surgeon belongs to decides whether they can treat you privately:
- Participating physicians bill RAMQ. They can't charge Québec residents privately for insured services, but they can treat patients from other provinces and countries privately.
- Opted-out physicians (désengagés) bill you directly at RAMQ rates, and RAMQ reimburses you.
- Non-participating physicians have left RAMQ entirely. They bill you directly, set their own fees, and RAMQ doesn't reimburse you.
If a Québec surgeon's profile says “Private unavailable for QC residents”, they're a participating physician. Look for non-participating surgeons in Québec, or surgeons in other provinces who accept Québec patients.
No. You can contact any clinic on Surgency without a referral.
Some surgeons need a referral before they book a consult. If you don't have a family doctor, many clinics can help arrange one.
You'll need a consultation first. The surgeon decides whether surgery is right for you and may ask for tests before booking.
Most private MRI, CT and ultrasound clinics need a requisition from a doctor or nurse practitioner. Some can help arrange one.
There's no set upper age limit. What matters is your overall health and how safely you can have anaesthesia.
Many private surgical centres are outpatient facilities without an intensive care unit, so they accept patients whose conditions are stable and well controlled. A pacemaker, heart disease, sleep apnea, diabetes, blood thinners or a high BMI won't automatically rule you out. You may need extra tests, clearance from your own doctor or cardiologist, or surgery in a hospital-based setting.
List every condition and medication when you request a consult, so the clinic can tell you early whether they can treat you safely.
Surgency doesn't treat anyone, but some listed surgeons do see children and teens. Most private surgeons treat adults only.
Each profile lists who the surgeon treats (for example, “Adult patients”), so check that line before requesting a consult. A parent or guardian will usually need to make the request and attend appointments.
Yes, many can. Surgeons who accept patients from outside Canada show 🇨🇦🇺🇸🌎 on their profile.
You'll pay the full private fee. Plan for travel, accommodation and enough time near the clinic for follow-up, and check what your travel or private insurance covers before you book.
Cost & payment
Private surgery quotes usually bundle:
- Surgeon's fee
- Anaesthesiologist's fee
- Facility fee (operating room, nursing, equipment, supplies)
- Implants or devices, if needed
- Pre-op tests done at the clinic
- Post-op follow-up visits
Prices go up with more complex surgery, longer operating time, premium implants or robotic assistance, overnight stays, and health conditions that need extra monitoring. Province, city and facility type also matter.
Travel, accommodation, physiotherapy, prescriptions and equipment such as crutches are usually extra. Ask every clinic for a written, itemized quote so you can compare like with like. See our private surgery cost guide.
Private consultations usually cost about $150–$350, though some are $700 or more. Ask whether the fee is credited toward surgery if you go ahead.
Yes. All surgeons listed on Surgency offer virtual appointments by video or phone. Some will want to see you in person before surgery for an exam or imaging.
No. Provincial plans don't pay for elective surgery you choose to have privately.
Extended health plans rarely cover surgeon or facility fees, but some cover parts of your care, such as physiotherapy, braces, crutches or some imaging. Check your plan booklet or call your insurer. If your injury is work-related, ask your workers' compensation board. Some fund surgery at private facilities.
Most clinics bill you directly, and you claim eligible amounts from your insurer afterward. Ask the clinic whether they can bill your insurer or a third-party payer.
You may also be able to claim surgery and some travel costs through the Medical Expense Tax Credit.
Yes. Some clinics offer payment plans, and third-party medical lenders offer financing for private surgery. Other options include a line of credit, savings or family support. Compare interest rates and fees before you sign.
Read How to Pay for Private Surgery in Canada: 7 Options You Should Know.
Generally, no. Provinces don't reimburse elective surgery you choose to pay for privately, in your own province or another one.
Under the Canada Health Act, your province covers emergency care when you're temporarily in another province. Some provinces also have prior-approval programs for care that isn't available at home, but approval must come before treatment, and these programs don't usually apply to private clinics.
The Medical Expense Tax Credit can reduce what you owe at tax time.
Process & timing
Private consultations are usually available within days. If you and the surgeon decide to go ahead, surgery can often be booked within weeks.
Timing depends on the specialty, the surgeon, any tests you need first, and your own schedule.
Having these ready saves time and can avoid repeat tests:
- Referral letter, if you have one
- Imaging reports (X-ray, MRI, CT, ultrasound), and the images themselves if the clinic asks
- Consultation notes from any specialists you've seen
- Recent lab results
- Medications and doses, including supplements
- Health conditions, past surgeries and allergies
- A short symptom timeline: when it started, what you can't do now, and what you've tried
No. Exploring private options doesn't affect your place on the public waitlist, and you keep your public coverage whatever you decide.
If you have the surgery privately, let your public surgeon's office know so they can take you off their list and offer the spot to someone else.
Most private clinics include follow-up visits in the surgical fee. The first is usually in person before you travel home, and later ones are often virtual. Clinics also give you an after-hours number for concerns.
Before you leave, ask for your operative notes, medication list and rehab plan. Your family doctor can then manage routine recovery care at home.
If you have a high fever, heavy bleeding, chest pain, shortness of breath or sudden calf swelling, go to your nearest emergency department. Public ERs treat everyone, whether surgery was public or private. Read how aftercare works when you travel.
Scope
Surgency doesn't provide tests or procedures, but we list private providers who do:
- MRI, CT and ultrasound: see private imaging.
- Cystoscopy: offered by some private urologists.
- Colonoscopy and endoscopy: offered by some general and colorectal surgeons.
Yes. Contact us with the name of the procedure, technique or implant, and the provinces you'd consider travelling to. We'll check whether any listed providers offer it.
We can tell you what we find, but we can't recommend a provider or say whether the procedure is right for you.
If you think it's an emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department. Don't wait to hear from a private clinic. Go now if you have:
- Chest pain or trouble breathing
- Sudden weakness, numbness, trouble speaking or other signs of stroke
- Heavy bleeding
- A serious injury
- Symptoms that are getting worse quickly
If it isn't an emergency but you're unsure, call 811 or see your family doctor. Private surgery is for planned, non-emergency care. Surgency doesn't list providers for emergencies or cancer treatment.
