Have you travelled abroad for surgery or are considering it? We want to hear from you – CTV
May 01, 2025
As Canada’s health-care system faces critical shortages and long wait times, more patients are travelling abroad to get the care they need faster.
In December 2024, a study from the Fraser Institute claimed a national median wait time of 30 weeks between referral from a general practitioner and treatment — the longest in the survey’s history and 222 per cent longer than in 1993. The study claims patients waited the longest for orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery.
According to the Canadian Medical Association, non-emergency surgeries that can be scheduled in advance, like hip, knee and cataract procedures, are being delayed, while a growing number of Canadians — now more than 6.5 million — lack access to a family doctor altogether.
The situation has pushed some to seek treatment outside the country. Destinations like Lithuania, Mexico, and Turkey are drawing interest from Canadians looking for everything from joint replacements to cosmetic procedures. Common motivations include quicker access, lower costs and the ability to combine treatment with travel.
It’s known as medical tourism, and for patients like Edmonton resident Trevor Bukieda, who travelled to Lithuania for hip surgery, it’s a solution worth considering.
