Canada's health care system has long been described as being in a state of crisis, with the familiar definition of insanity - doing the same thing repeatedly while expecting different results - applying perfectly to the ongoing challenges. The system continues to face overwhelming pressure from multiple fronts, creating a perfect storm of accessibility issues and service delays.
The Current State of Canadian Health Care
Daily reports highlight the system's failures across multiple provinces. Critical shortages of family physicians leave entire communities without primary care, while emergency departments see patients waiting for days to receive treatment. The situation becomes even more dire for those requiring routine surgeries, with delays stretching for months or even years in some cases.
According to a 2023 Fraser Institute report, the average wait time between seeing a general practitioner and receiving treatment had reached 27.4 weeks in 2022. This represents a significant increase of 18.1 weeks since 1993 and an additional 6.5 weeks compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Alberta's Proposed Solution
This week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced a groundbreaking plan to introduce a hybrid health-care system that would allow doctors to work simultaneously in both private and public health systems. The announcement, made on November 21, 2025, represents one of the most significant proposed changes to provincial health care delivery in recent years.
Critics were quick to respond, pointing out that the proposed model appears to contradict federal legislation governing health care delivery under the Canada Health Act. However, supporters note that Quebec has already established a precedent for private clinic involvement in health care services.
Learning from Quebec's Experience
Quebec's journey with private clinics began following a landmark 2005 Supreme Court ruling. Initially limited to just three procedures, the list of services provided by private clinics in Quebec has expanded dramatically and now includes more than 50 different procedures.
This expansion demonstrates that private delivery has always been an integral component of health care across Canada. Doctors, diagnostic clinics, and numerous other health services operate as private enterprises while working within the public system framework.
Opponents of Alberta's plan have raised concerns about moving toward American-style health care, but statistics show that many Canadians already seek timely medical treatment in the United States when they cannot access it at home. The political challenge remains substantial, as suggesting changes to the health care system has historically been considered the third rail of Canadian politics.
Rather than immediate criticism, some observers suggest evaluating the proposed changes based on their potential effectiveness in addressing the well-documented problems within Canada's health care system.
