This page is a practical guide for individuals exploring private orthopedic surgical care in Québec. You'll find an overview of public wait times, regulatory considerations, and a list of accredited surgeons practicing in Québec.
Note: in general, Québec residents cannot pay privately for surgery within Québec (unless the surgeon is opted-out of RAMQ). For more orthopedic options, view Vancouver, BC; Calgary, AB; Edmonton, AB; Toronto, ON.
Orthopedic surgeons specialize in conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system—bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Common concerns that bring patients to an orthopedic specialist include:
It may be time to see an orthopedic surgeon if:
An estimated 424,384 surgeries are performed in Québec each year. Some 75,000 to 100,000 are for orthopedic surgeries.
Most medically necessary orthopedic surgeries are delivered through the publicly funded Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). However, unlike Ontario, Quebec does permit surgeons to "opt out" of RAMQ—allowing them to provide private services directly to Quebec residents within the province.
Many of the surgeons listed below are opted-out. Look for "Accepting patients from all provinces."
Québec has the most established private surgical landscape in Canada, making it a popular option for Ontario residents. Opted-out surgeons and private clinics operate in Montréal and other major city centres, offering privately funded orthopedic procedures to Québec residents seeking faster access to care.
Current regulations: Quebec's regulatory environment is more permissive than Ontario's. Surgeons who opt out of RAMQ may charge patients directly for services, including some medically necessary procedures. This has allowed a parallel private system to develop alongside the public system. However, regulations continue to evolve, and not all procedures or surgeons are available privately.
What this means for you: Québec residents generally have more in-province private orthopedic options than patients in most other Canadian provinces. Depending on your procedure and location, you may be able to access private surgical care without travelling out of province.
It depends on the procedure and setting. For purely elective, non-essential surgeries (such as cosmetic and ophthalmology), Québec residents can pay out of pocket for surgery within Québec.
But for essential surgeries (e.g. hip replacements, knee arthroscopy, ACL reconstruction, etc.), the answer is generally no. That is why many Québecois seek private surgery go out-of-province.
The only exception to this is private surgeons who are 'opted out' of RAMQ may see Québecois within Québec.
Yes. Note: the surgeon will likely require medical information and diagnostics (imaging, lab tests, etc.) before the consultation.
Generally, private surgeries performed in Canada are paid for out-of-pocket or via private insurance/ employer benefits.
Provincial plans (like RAMQ, OHIP, MSP, or AHCIP) typically do not cover procedures at private clinics, though some exceptions exist for WCB (Workers' Compensation) claims or specific inter-provincial programs.
Private insurance
Standard extended health benefits (e.g. Sun Life, Manulife) typically do not cover the cost of the surgery itself. However, they often cover related costs such as:
Health spending account
If your employer provides a Health Spending Account (HSA) or "flex account," you can often use these funds to pay for the surgery. Unlike standard benefits, HSAs are usually flexible enough to cover CRA-eligible medical expenses, including private facility fees.
Tax Credits (Federal & Provincial)
You may be able to get some financial relief at tax time.
Please consult a tax professional before claiming any private surgery fees on your taxes.
The costs for orthopedic surgery are substantial.
They vary considerably depending on the procedure, your underlying health conditions, the experience of the surgeon, type of anesthesia, etc., and can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000+.
For an overview on private surgery costs, see our Resources on Private Surgery Costs.
Private surgeons typically charge a consultation fee because a surgical consult involves clinical work before, during, and after the appointment.
A surgical consultation isn’t a “meet and greet.” It’s a formal medical assessment where the surgeon may:
In a private setting, the surgeon generally isn’t billing RAMQ for that time, so the consultation fee compensates them for expert assessment and diagnostic decision-making.
Private clinics also cover operating costs that public hospitals don’t fund in the same way, including:
The consultation fee helps support these resources and the infrastructure required to provide timely, organized care outside publicly funded hospital operations.
Wait times depend on urgency, imaging, and OR capacity.
If you’re over 60 with degenerative arthritis, you may be triaged differently than a younger patient with a locked knee or acute ligament injury. The fastest path usually comes from: clear diagnosis + complete imaging + documented failed conservative care.
In the Canadian medical system, wait times are divided into two distinct stages:
In Quebec, surgical wait times are managed through a centralized provincial system designed to ensure the most urgent cases are treated first. Surgeons assign patients a priority level (1–5) based on clinical criteria, which determines the target wait time for each procedure.
The province uses a tracking system called SGAS (Système de gestion de l'accès aux services) to manage surgical wait lists. As of the 2025/2026 reforms, this system operates under the oversight of Santé Québec.
Surgical priority is not determined on a first-come, first-served basis. Instead, surgeons use Diagnosis Prioritization Codes to assess each patient's clinical situation. When adding you to the wait list, your surgeon enters specific data into the SGAS (Système de gestion de l'accès aux services) system, including:
To address surgical backlogs, Quebec has introduced new measures:
Even after a priority level is assigned, your surgery date may shift due to:
There are currently over 170,000 people on wait lists in Québec. 42,000 of whom are waiting on orthopedic surgeries—mostly hip and knee replacements.
Unfortunately, only 49% of hip replacements and 38% of knee replacements are completed within established benchmark time frames for timely care.
For hip replacements, 50% of patients are treated within 27 weeks, and 90% are seen within 61 weeks.
For knee replacements, 50% of patients are seen within 36 weeks, and 90% are seen within 69 weeks.
