Canada’s healthcare crisis deepens as emergency room (ER) wait times deter patients.
Emergency departments across Canada are overwhelmed, with patients facing long and excruciating wait times. A recent survey conducted by Environics Research for the Canadian Health Coalition revealed over one-third of Canadians—40 per cent—or their family avoided visiting the ER due to concerns over extensive wait times. Access to healthcare has been a persistent challenge in Canada for over a decade, and the Canadian government has classified the system as being in a state of crisis.
Despite investments over the past 10 years aimed at improving healthcare services, many doctors, healthcare professionals, and citizens remain unclear about how the funding has been spent. A 2024 survey found 80 per cent of Ontarians identified a shortage of healthcare workers, such as doctors and nurses, as the primary issue. Sixty four per cent of respondents felt their provincial government wasn’t doing enough to address the crisis.
These statistics highlight a critical concern: despite the ongoing shortage of doctors in Canada, gaining ission to medical schools remains exceptionally difficult. Over the past decade, the number of pre-medical students has surged, with over 13,000 applicants vying for just 3,000 spots annually.
Critics argue the barriers preventing Canadians from entering the medical profession are a root cause of the healthcare system’s deficiencies and could drive meaningful change.
“We need a system that s aspiring medical professionals better,” Emily Tran, a pre-med student at the University of Alberta wrote in a statement to The Journal. “Right now, we are just not seeing enough pathways for local students to enter the field.”
On Oct. 25, the Government of Ontario announced a new policy to address the lack of access to healthcare for citizens. Beginning in the fall of 2026, Ontario medical schools will reserve at least 95 per cent of their spots for Ontario residents, with the remaining five per cent allocated to students from other provinces. This move effectively bars international applicants.
The policy aims to retain more medical graduates within Ontario and address the needs of the 2.5 million Ontarians without a family doctor. There are also plans to cover tuition for over 1,000 students who commit to becoming family doctors in Ontario.
Debate has erupted among pre-medical students, with some Canadians outside Ontario criticizing the decision, calling it unfair. Students contend their contributions to the country’s post-secondary education system should grant them opportunities to practice medicine in Ontario.
Betty Abraham, HealthSci ’24, an Alberta-based pre-med student at Queen’s in biotechnology expressed concern about her future.
“I’m worried my dream of attending medical school in Ontario is now out of reach,” Abraham said in an interview with The Journal.
Institutions are making bold moves to address inequities in medical issions. Queen’s, for example, plans to implement a lottery system in the second phase of its 2025 issions cycle. This system aims to reduce systemic barriers that prevent equity-deserving groups from entering the medical field. Applicants must meet minimum thresholds for grade point averages, Medical College ission Test scores, and Casper results to qualify for the lottery. Those selected will proceed to an online interview, and successful candidates will be itted.
As the Canadian healthcare crisis continues, recent developments in provincial legislation underscore the complexities of addressing physician shortages and ensuring equitable access to medical education in Canada. Whether these measures will result in long-term solutions remains uncertain.
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