Private-sector participation in health

AI summary

Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to study and report to Parliament on expanding private-sector participation, private insurance and mixed public–private delivery to reduce wait times, increase capacity and protect universal access.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Government of Canada Canada’s single-payer healthcare system faces long wait times, overcrowded emergency rooms, and healthcare worker shortages, with 23,746 people dying while waiting for surgeries in one year, and Ontario spent $212 million in one year sending patients to U.S. medical centres; Canada already relies on privately delivered care in family medicine, diagnostics, long-term care, dental, vision, and other services; however, federal and provincial rules restrict private payment, insurance, competition, and patient choice for many medically necessary services; Private-sector participation could increase capacity, reduce wait times, attract investment, modernize facilities, and improve working conditions for healthcare workers, and many peer countries with universal healthcare allow mixed public-private models while maintaining public coverage; and The federal government administers the Canada Health Act and provides major health transfers to provinces. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Undertake a comprehensive study on expanding private-sector participation, patient choice, mixed delivery, and private insurance in Canada’s healthcare system; 2. Examine international universal healthcare models that include private delivery, private insurance, or mixed options; 3. Assess whether greater competition and private-sector participation could improve wages, recruitment, retention, and working conditions for healthcare workers; and 4. Table a report in Parliament outlining options to reduce wait times, increase capacity, protect universal access, and improve healthcare outcomes for Canadians.

Government response

No government response is available yet.