The latest government data indicates that 3.2 million Canadians are on a waitlist for surgery, a diagnostic scan, or specialist treatment, according to think tank SecondStreet.org.
The latest data also suggests that 41,487 patients have died on a waiting list since 2018–2019.
This estimate includes cases where patients died while waiting for surgeries that could have potentially saved their lives. For instance, in 2020–21, the Nova Scotia Health Authority noted there were 367 patients who died while waiting for surgery, and of those, 51 died while waiting for a procedure that could have potentially saved their life.
Of the 51 cases, “just over three quarters” died after waiting longer than the recommended wait time, according to SecondStreet.org….