Which surgeries have the longest wait times in Ontario
Ontario will licence more surgical centres for orthopaedic procedures to ease backlogs. Data show most procedures meet targets, but paediatric and gynaecological care face the longest delays.
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By Torontoer Staff
The Ontario government plans to licence additional surgical and diagnostic centres to perform orthopaedic procedures as part of efforts to reduce wait times. Health experts urge a targeted view of the problem, noting that overall provincial performance is mixed and delays are concentrated in specific areas.
Dr. David Urbach, head of surgery at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, says more than 80 per cent of patients needing joint replacement receive surgery within the province�s recommended timeframe. He cautions, however, that averages hide wide variation across regions and specialties.
What the data shows
A June report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information found wait times remain longer than before the COVID-19 pandemic for many procedures. A separate analysis by think tank SecondStreet.org estimated about 3.7 million Canadians are waiting for surgery, diagnostic scans, or specialist appointments.
If you�re not on a waitlist yourself, you probably know someone who is on a waitlist.
Dom Lucyk, SecondStreet.org
Ontario Health publishes average waits measured from the decision to proceed to the date of surgery. The province excludes Priority 1 emergency cases from those figures. The data show many high-volume procedures meet targets for most patients, while other services, particularly paediatric and routine gynaecological care, lag behind.
Provincial wait-time highlights
- Arterial bypass, 80% treated within target time, Priority 4: 48 days, Priority 3: 44 days, Priority 2: 19 days
- Cataract, 82% treated within target time, Priority 4: 101 days, Priority 3: 95 days, Priority 2: 57 days
- Gallbladder, 94% treated within target time, Priority 4: 61 days, Priority 3: 42 days, Priority 2: 27 days
- Hip replacement, 78% treated within target time, Priority 4: 114 days, Priority 3: 86 days, Priority 2: 75 days
- Hysterectomy, 73% treated within target time, Priority 4: 130 days, Priority 3: 124 days, Priority 2: 88 days
- Kidney stone removal, 95% treated within target time, Priority 4: 40 days, Priority 3: 33 days, Priority 2: 24 days
- Knee replacement, 79% treated within target time, Priority 4: 117 days, Priority 3: 86 days, Priority 2: 73 days
- Thyroid surgery, 81% treated within target time, Priority 4: 121 days, Priority 3: 120 days, Priority 2: 32 days
- Benign tumour removal, 73% treated within target time, Priority 4: 53 days, Priority 3: 42 days, Priority 2: 14 days
- Cardiac (paediatric), 92% treated within target time, Priority 4: 135 days, Priority 3: 39 days, Priority 2: 3 days
- General surgery (paediatric), 76% treated within target time, Priority 4: 121 days, Priority 3: 67 days, Priority 2: 31 days
- Otolaryngic (paediatric), 71% treated within target time, Priority 4: 106 days, Priority 3: 92 days, Priority 2: 61 days
Where waits are longest and why
Urbach says provincial averages can give a misleading impression because long waits are concentrated in particular services and locations. Urban centres such as Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area tend to have shorter waits. Rural and remote communities often face longer delays, and some surgeons or clinics may have disproportionately long lists.
There are people who have been waiting 18 months and still haven�t had surgery. This is the problem that we frame as a variation. There is no single provincial wait list, patients are in many different queues.
Dr. David Urbach, Women�s College Hospital
Urbach identifies acute shortages in paediatric surgery and routine gynaecology as areas with 'huge problems' accessing timely care. He also notes that cancer care, hip and knee replacement, and cardiac surgery generally meet targets in Ontario.
Planned changes and what to watch next
Ontario plans system changes in 2026 to improve coordination, including electronic referrals intended to place patients into common queues. The government is also moving to licence more surgical and diagnostic centres for orthopaedic procedures. Proponents say this will add capacity, while critics point to mixed results in other provinces, such as Alberta.
- 2026 electronic referral rollout, meant to reduce fragmentation of queues
- New licences for orthopaedic surgical and diagnostic centres, aimed at expanding capacity
- Persistent pressure points to monitor: paediatric surgery, routine gynaecology, and some ENT services
Officials and health system leaders will need targeted strategies to address specialty shortages, regional disparities, and the operational causes of long lists at particular clinics. Data transparency and coordinated referrals are the main levers being pursued.
The data in this piece has been corrected. Ontario�s wait-time statistics show a system that is performing well in several high-priority areas, but uneven performance means some patients continue to face long delays. Planned reforms aim to reduce those variations, and observers will be watching whether the changes narrow the longest waits.
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