Canada: health and care

How much does Canada spend on health care?

Total health care spending in Canada was expected to reach $399 billion in 2025, or $9,626 per Canadian, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). Health spending was forecast at 12.7% of GDP and to grow 4.2% in 2025, after increases of 6.1% in 2024 and 7.4% in 2023.

The total covers public and private spending, including hospitals, physicians, drugs and other services. The figures for recent years are forecasts based on government budgets and are revised as actual data arrive. CIHI's National Health Expenditure Trends is published each November, with provincial and per person breakdowns.

Official sources: CIHI: National health expenditure trends

How long are hospital wait times in Canada?

The Canadian Institute for Health Information reported on 25 June 2026 that emergency department wait times increased between 2018-2019 and 2024-2025, with the longest stays for older patients, those with chronic conditions and those needing admission. It found that wait times for joint replacements are approaching pre-pandemic levels, while waits for most cancer surgeries remain longer than before the pandemic.

CIHI's interactive tool shows, by province, the median wait and the share of patients treated within benchmark times for procedures such as hip and knee replacement, cataract surgery and radiation therapy. Health care is run by the provinces, so waits vary widely and are also published by provincial health ministries.

Official sources: CIHI: Wait times in Canada, 2026

What are the leading causes of death in Canada?

Cancer was the leading cause of death in Canada in 2024, accounting for 26.2% of all deaths, followed by heart disease (17.7%), accidents (6.2%), stroke (4.2%) and chronic lower respiratory disease (4.0%), according to preliminary data from Statistics Canada, released on 13 January 2026.

The rest of the top 10 were influenza and pneumonia, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, COVID-19 and liver disease. Deaths from influenza and pneumonia rose 20.0%, moving that cause from eighth to sixth. Causes are classified by the underlying cause on the death certificate. Data are preliminary because deaths investigated by coroners, such as accidents and suicides, can take time to be coded.

Official sources: Statistics Canada: Deaths, 2024

How many people die in Canada each year?

There were 326,779 deaths in Canada in 2024, a 0.2% decrease from 327,546 in 2023, according to preliminary data from Statistics Canada. Mortality rates fell for all age groups compared with 2023.

Life expectancy at birth rose from 81.68 years in 2023 to 82.16 years in 2024, nearly back to the 2019 pre-pandemic level of 82.22 years. Life expectancy was 80.03 years for males and 84.29 years for females. The number of deaths depends on the size and age of the population as well as on health, so rates by age are a better guide to trends than the total.

Official sources: Statistics Canada: Deaths, 2024

How many doctors are there in Canada?

There were 99,555 physicians in Canada in 2024, up 2.2% from 2023, or 241 physicians per 100,000 population, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. 93% were in urban areas and 7% in rural areas, and 27% were trained internationally.

The average age of physicians was 49, and 46% of practising physicians were female. The count covers active physicians registered with a provincial or territorial licensing authority, including family physicians and specialists, so it is not the same as the number working full time. CIHI publishes the figures by province and specialty.

Official sources: CIHI: A profile of physicians in Canada

What is life expectancy in Canada?

According to the UN Population Division, life expectancy at birth in Canada was 82.1 years in 2024. The peak was 82.2 years in 2019 and the low 80.1 years in 2005. World rank, highest first: 28th of 193.

What is the infant mortality rate in Canada?

4.7 per 1,000: that is the infant mortality rate in Canada for 2024, according to the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation. Since 2005 it has ranged from 4.5 per 1,000 (2017) to 5.2 per 1,000 (2005). Worldwide: 145th of 192.

How many women die in childbirth in Canada?

According to the WHO, the maternal mortality ratio in Canada was 12.0 per 100,000 in 2023. Its high point since 2005 was 2020, at 17.0 per 100,000; its low point was 2005, at 11.0 per 100,000. Of 192 countries with 2023 data, 141st highest.

How much does Canada spend on health?

The latest figure from the WHO, for 2024, is 11.3% of GDP. The peak was 13.0% of GDP in 2020 and the low 9.0% of GDP in 2005.

What is out-of-pocket health spending in Canada?

15.3%: that is out-of-pocket health spending in Canada for 2024, according to the WHO. Since 2005 it has ranged from 13.7% (2020) to 15.9% (2006).

How many doctors does Canada have?

In 2023, the number of doctors per 1,000 people in Canada was 2.8 per 1,000, according to the WHO. That is the highest since at least 2006. World rank, highest first: 20th of 58.

How many hospital beds per person does Canada have?

According to the WHO, hospital beds per 1,000 people in Canada was 2.5 per 1,000 in 2022. Its high point since 2005 was 2005, at 3.1 per 1,000; its low point was 2017, at 2.5 per 1,000. Worldwide: 62nd of 110.

What is the measles vaccination rate in Canada?

In 2024, measles vaccination among children aged 12 to 23 months in Canada was 92.0%, according to WHO and UNICEF. The peak was 94.0% in 2005 and the low 88.0% in 2011. Of 191 countries with 2024 data, 84th highest.