Health care in Canada

To receive the federal health transfer in full, each plan must meet the Canada Health Act's five criteria: among them, it must cover 100% of its insured residents, on the same terms, for medically necessary care in hospital and from doctors.

The Canada Health Act, section 7, and sections 8 to 12 for each criterion (the words beside each are Dooram's short form). Health Canada's annual report on the Act for 2024-2025 presents "the 13 provincial and territorial health care insurance plans", one for each of the ten provinces and three territories; Health Canada's page on the system says the same, that each has its own plan.

Insured services are medically necessary hospital and doctors' services, and surgical-dental services that must be done in hospital (the Act, section 2, and the report's definitions). The provinces and territories decide which services are medically necessary, and they run and pay for care; the federal government sets the criteria and pays in through the transfer.

Sources: Department of Justice Canada, Justice Laws Website, Canada Health Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-6), sections 2 and 7 to 12, read 20 October 2026. Health Canada, Canada Health Act Annual Report 2024-2025, chapter 1 and chapter 3, read 20 October 2026. Health Canada, About Canada's health care system, read 20 October 2026.

The Act covers care in hospital and from doctors. Medicines outside hospital, dental care, eye care and ambulances are outside it: provinces and territories pay for some of them for some groups, such as older people, children and people on social assistance, and everyone else pays themselves or through private insurance, such as a plan at work.

Health Canada's report on the Act: provinces and territories "may also offer additional programs", such as prescription drugs, dental care, ambulance services and optometry, "often targeting specific groups, with coverage and funding varying by jurisdiction". Health Canada's page on the system names home care, vision care, dental care, prescription drugs and ambulance services, often for older people, children and people on social assistance; people who do not qualify pay "on their own or through their own private health insurance plans".

Pharmacare: Health Canada's report says Yukon signed a pharmacare agreement in March 2025 for diabetes and contraceptive medicines. Read once, so the page says nothing more about it.

Sources: Health Canada, Canada Health Act Annual Report 2024-2025, chapter 1, read 20 October 2026. Health Canada, About Canada's health care system, read 20 October 2026.

The plan is for residents with no dental insurance and a family income under 90,000 Canadian dollars (about $64,400).

The dental plan's statistics give 3,601,792 members in the benefit period 2024 to 2025, and 2,076,186 who used it for care; its annual report for 2024-2025 says "close to 3.6 million" and "more than 2 million". To join, a resident must have no access to private dental insurance (through work, a pension plan or otherwise), have filed a tax return, and have an adjusted family net income under 90,000 Canadian dollars (the plan's page and its annual report). In dollars, about, at the 2025 average rate of 1.3978 Canadian dollars to $1 (Bank of Canada; the Federal Reserve 1.3973).

In the benefit period 2026 to 2027, to 30 September 2026, 5,015,189 people were members, by the same page's tables by province and by age (both add to it; one page, so it is given here only).

Sources: Health Canada, Application statistics, Canadian Dental Care Plan, benefit periods 2024 to 2025 and 2026 to 2027, read 20 October 2026. Health Canada, Canadian Dental Care Plan Annual Report 2024-2025, read 20 October 2026. Government of Canada, Do you qualify, Canadian Dental Care Plan, requirements 1 to 4, read 20 October 2026. Bank of Canada, Annual average exchange rate of the US dollar in Canadian dollars (FXAUSDCAD), read 20 October 2026. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, G.5A Foreign Exchange Rates (Annual), read 20 October 2026.

Current spending on health, public and private, without investment in buildings and equipment, as a share of gross domestic product (GDP), the value of everything the country produces in a year, by the count of the World Health Organization (WHO), made with each country's own data: 11.19% for Canada in 2023, rounded here to one decimal. 2023 is the newest year the WHO has for every country on the dial, so every figure it is set against is the same year and the same count.

On the dial, "typical" means between the lowest quarter and the highest quarter of the 10 countries Dooram covers: from 8.8% to 11.6% of GDP. "Less than most" is below that, "more than most" above it.

Read on 21 October 2026 in the WHO's Global Health Observatory and again in the World Bank's copy of the same series; the two give the same figure for every country.

The next card gives 2024, a year the WHO's database does not yet have for every country: 11.3 by the WHO's count as the World Bank publishes it, 11.5 by the OECD's. Canada's own health accounts, the Canadian Institute for Health Information's, are not used: its terms ask for written permission first.

Sources: World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database, through its Global Health Observatory and the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Global Health Expenditure Database, current health expenditure as a share of gross domestic product (GHED_CHEGDP_SHA2011), 2023 (the World Health Organization's health accounts, every country's share of its economy spent on health, 2023), GHED_CHEGDP_SHA2011; the World Bank's SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS, read 21 October 2026. World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database (updated 12 December 2025), in the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Current health expenditure (% of GDP and per capita, current US$), domestic general government, private and out-of-pocket health expenditure (% of current health expenditure): SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS, SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, SH.XPD.GHED.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.PVTD.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.OOPC.PC.CD (the World Health Organization's health accounts for Canada, 2024, as the World Bank publishes them), SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS, 2024, read 20 October 2026. OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), Health expenditure and financing (DSD_SHA@DF_SHA), Canada, 2024 (the OECD's health accounts for Canada, read as the second reading of the World Health Organization's), current expenditure on health, all financing schemes, 2024, read 20 October 2026.

More than 11% of Canada's economy went on health in 2024: 11.3% by the World Health Organization's count and 11.5% by the OECD's. For each person that is more than $6,300 (more than 8,600 Canadian dollars): $6,378 by the World Health Organization's count, 8,682 Canadian dollars ($6,338) by the OECD's.

Current spending on health, without investment, in 2024: the World Health Organization's health accounts as the World Bank publishes them (11.31% of gross domestic product, $6,377.97 a person), read again in the OECD's (11.524%, 8,681.885 Canadian dollars a person). They differ a little, so the page says only what both show.

Canada's own health accounts are the Canadian Institute for Health Information's National Health Expenditure Trends. Its terms do not allow its figures in software applications of any kind without its written authorization, so none of them is used here; Dooram will ask.

The OECD's amount is converted by Dooram at the 2024 average rate of 1.3698 Canadian dollars to $1 (Bank of Canada; the Federal Reserve 1.3699).

Sources: World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database (updated 12 December 2025), in the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Current health expenditure (% of GDP and per capita, current US$), domestic general government, private and out-of-pocket health expenditure (% of current health expenditure): SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS, SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, SH.XPD.GHED.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.PVTD.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.OOPC.PC.CD (the World Health Organization's health accounts for Canada, 2024, as the World Bank publishes them), SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS and SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2024, read 20 October 2026. OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), Health expenditure and financing (DSD_SHA@DF_SHA), Canada, 2024 (the OECD's health accounts for Canada, read as the second reading of the World Health Organization's), current expenditure on health, all financing schemes, 2024, read 20 October 2026. Bank of Canada, Annual average exchange rate of the US dollar in Canadian dollars (FXAUSDCAD), read 20 October 2026. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, G.5A Foreign Exchange Rates (Annual), read 20 October 2026.

About 70% of health spending in 2024 was paid by governments: 70.2% by the World Health Organization's count, 70.6% by the OECD's. People paid about 15% themselves (15.3% and 15.0%), and private insurance and other private sources the rest, a little under 15%.

The World Health Organization counts domestic general government spending (70.19% of current spending in 2024), private spending (29.81%) and out-of-pocket spending (15.28%); its private spending other than out of pocket, 14.53%, is Dooram's subtraction. The OECD counts government and compulsory schemes (252,954.9 million Canadian dollars of 358,234.8 million, 70.61%), voluntary schemes such as private insurance (14.36%) and households' own payments (15.03%); the shares are Dooram's divisions. The two define payers a little differently, so the page gives what both show.

Sources: World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database (updated 12 December 2025), in the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Current health expenditure (% of GDP and per capita, current US$), domestic general government, private and out-of-pocket health expenditure (% of current health expenditure): SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS, SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, SH.XPD.GHED.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.PVTD.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.OOPC.PC.CD (the World Health Organization's health accounts for Canada, 2024, as the World Bank publishes them), SH.XPD.GHED.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.PVTD.CH.ZS and SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS, 2024, read 20 October 2026. OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), Health expenditure and financing (DSD_SHA@DF_SHA), Canada, 2024 (the OECD's health accounts for Canada, read as the second reading of the World Health Organization's), by financing scheme, 2024, read 20 October 2026.

Canada's federal, provincial, territorial and local governments together spent $196.5 billion on health in 2024 (269.1 billion Canadian dollars), 23.7% of all they spent. Counted on their own, the provinces, territories and local governments spent $189.0 billion (258.9 billion Canadian dollars), 34.2% of their spending and their largest expense.

Statistics Canada's classification of the functions of government, 2024: health was 269,116 million Canadian dollars of 1,137,098 million spent by all governments together (23.7%), and 258,893 million of 757,733 million spent by the provinces, territories and local governments (34.2%), in its table and again in The Daily of 27 November 2025. Spending is counted once where one government pays another, and capital spending is left out.

This is what governments spend, not all spending on health. Dollars at the 2024 average rate of 1.3698 Canadian dollars to $1 (Bank of Canada; the Federal Reserve 1.3699).

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Classification of Functions of Government (CCOFOG) by consolidated government component, Health [707], both consolidated components, 2024, read 20 October 2026. Statistics Canada, The Daily: Government spending by function, 2024, read 20 October 2026. Bank of Canada, Annual average exchange rate of the US dollar in Canadian dollars (FXAUSDCAD), read 20 October 2026.

Through the Canada Health Transfer: about $38.0 billion (about 52.1 billion Canadian dollars) in 2024–25, paid to each province and territory by the same amount for each resident. It must grow by at least 5% a year until 2027–28. Health Canada describes the public system as funded through taxes.

Finance Canada's table of federal support gives 52,081 million Canadian dollars for 2024–25 and 49,421 million for 2023–24; Health Canada's reports on the Act say "$52.1 billion" (and "over $52.1 billion") and "over $49.4 billion". Finance Canada's page on the transfer says it is paid "on an equal per capita basis" and is guaranteed to grow by at least five per cent a year from 2023–24 to 2027–28; its table notes the top-ups that guarantee pays.

Health Canada's page on the system says the system is "funded through taxes"; its report on the Act says Medicare "is financed through a progressive tax system".

The transfer is for fiscal years, April to March, so the dollars are about: at the 2024 average rate of 1.3698 for 2024–25 and the 2023 average of 1.3497 for 2023–24 (Bank of Canada; the Federal Reserve 1.3699 and 1.3494).

Sources: Department of Finance Canada, Major federal transfers, Federal Support to Provinces and Territories, and note 2, read 20 October 2026. Department of Finance Canada, Canada Health Transfer, read 20 October 2026. Health Canada, Canada Health Act Annual Report 2024-2025, highlights and chapter 1, read 20 October 2026. Health Canada, Canada Health Act Annual Report 2023-2024, highlights, read 20 October 2026. Health Canada, About Canada's health care system, read 20 October 2026. Bank of Canada, Annual average exchange rate of the US dollar in Canadian dollars (FXAUSDCAD), read 20 October 2026. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, G.5A Foreign Exchange Rates (Annual), read 20 October 2026.

Of the $189.0 billion (258.9 billion Canadian dollars) provinces, territories and local governments spent on health in 2024, hospital services took 67.3%, outpatient services 16.3% and medical products, appliances and equipment 6.9%.

Statistics Canada's classification of the functions of government for 2024, the provinces, territories and local governments together: hospital services 174,171 million Canadian dollars, outpatient services 42,084 million, medical products, appliances and equipment 17,889 million, of 258,893 million. The Daily of 27 November 2025 gives the same three shares. "Everything else" is Dooram's sum: public health services (13,131 million) and health not elsewhere classified (11,617 million).

These are the publisher's kinds of service, for government spending only. The split of all health spending into hospitals, physicians and drugs is the Canadian Institute for Health Information's, whose figures are not used here. Dollars at the 2024 average rate of 1.3698 Canadian dollars to $1.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Classification of Functions of Government (CCOFOG) by consolidated government component, Health [7071] to [7076], consolidated provincial-territorial and local governments, Canada, 2024, read 20 October 2026. Statistics Canada, The Daily: Government spending by function, 2024, read 20 October 2026. Bank of Canada, Annual average exchange rate of the US dollar in Canadian dollars (FXAUSDCAD), read 20 October 2026.

For care the Act covers, nothing: a province or territory may not allow user charges or extra billing by doctors and still receive the full transfer. Where patients were charged all the same, the federal government took $45.4 million (62.2 million Canadian dollars) off nine provinces' and territories' transfers in March 2025, and gave back $37.9 million (51.9 million Canadian dollars) where the charges had been ended.

Health Canada's report on the Act for 2024-2025: "a total of $62,204,582 in deductions and $51,901,885 in reimbursements" in March 2025, and in its table, from Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon. Quebec's was 35,249,525 Canadian dollars and British Columbia's 23,520,110, mostly for charges for medically necessary diagnostic services; the other seven together, 3,434,947, is Dooram's sum.

The Act, sections 18 and 19: no payment for services subject to extra billing, and no user charges, for a full transfer (user charges for the room and meals of a long-term patient in hospital are allowed). The report: Canadians can use hospital and doctors' services "without paying extra fees out-of-pocket".

In dollars at the 2024 average rate of 1.3698 Canadian dollars to $1 (Bank of Canada; the Federal Reserve 1.3699).

Sources: Health Canada, Canada Health Act Annual Report 2024-2025, highlights, chapter 2 and the table of deductions and reimbursements, read 20 October 2026. Department of Justice Canada, Justice Laws Website, Canada Health Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-6), sections 18 to 20, read 20 October 2026. Bank of Canada, Annual average exchange rate of the US dollar in Canadian dollars (FXAUSDCAD), read 20 October 2026.

About 15% of all health spending in 2024 was paid by people themselves: 15.3% by the World Health Organization's count and 15.0% by the OECD's. For each person that was $974 by the World Health Organization's count, and 1,305 Canadian dollars ($953) by the OECD's.

Out-of-pocket spending in 2024: the World Health Organization's, as the World Bank publishes it (15.28% of current spending, $974.38 a person), and the OECD's households' own payments (53,841.2 million Canadian dollars, 15.03%; 1,304.851 Canadian dollars a person, $953 at 1.3698, Dooram's conversion). The two amounts a person differ by about 2%, so both are given.

What people pay for is mostly care outside the Act's insured services; how much goes to medicines, teeth or eyes is the Canadian Institute for Health Information's count, not used here.

Sources: World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database (updated 12 December 2025), in the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Current health expenditure (% of GDP and per capita, current US$), domestic general government, private and out-of-pocket health expenditure (% of current health expenditure): SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS, SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, SH.XPD.GHED.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.PVTD.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.OOPC.PC.CD (the World Health Organization's health accounts for Canada, 2024, as the World Bank publishes them), SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS and SH.XPD.OOPC.PC.CD, 2024, read 20 October 2026. OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), Health expenditure and financing (DSD_SHA@DF_SHA), Canada, 2024 (the OECD's health accounts for Canada, read as the second reading of the World Health Organization's), household out-of-pocket payments, 2024, read 20 October 2026. Bank of Canada, Annual average exchange rate of the US dollar in Canadian dollars (FXAUSDCAD), read 20 October 2026.

Tourists, transients and visitors are not insured, and a new resident may have to wait up to 3 months before a plan covers them; Ontario has had no waiting period since 19 March 2020. Members of the Canadian Armed Forces and people in federal penitentiaries are left out of the Act and covered by federal programs instead.

The Canada Health Act, section 11, paragraph (1)(a), and section 2: an insured person is a resident other than a member of the Canadian Forces, a person in a federal penitentiary, or a resident who has not finished the waiting period of up to three months; a resident does not include "a tourist, a transient or a visitor". Health Canada's report on the Act says the same, and that the excluded groups "are covered through separate federal programs".

Ontario removed its three-month waiting period on 19 March 2020 (Health Canada's report, Ontario's sections 3.1 and 4.1; Ontario's own page: "There is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage").

How many people have no insurance for medicines or for dental care: not looked yet. Statistics Canada's search could not be used, and no table was found by number.

Sources: Department of Justice Canada, Justice Laws Website, Canada Health Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-6), sections 2 and 11, read 20 October 2026. Health Canada, Canada Health Act Annual Report 2024-2025, chapter 1; Ontario, 3.1 and 4.1, read 20 October 2026. Government of Ontario, Apply for OHIP and get a health card, read 20 October 2026.