Half of Canadians unhappy with healthcare: poll

MONTREAL – A new MEI-Ipsos poll says 50 percent of Canadians are dissatisfied with their provincial healthcare systems. That feeling runs highest in the Atlantic provinces, where two in three people are dissatisfied, according to the study. The poll also found nearly six in 10 Canadians think the rate of growth of public healthcare spending is unsustainable, while only a quarter think the increase in health spending over the past decade had a positive impact.

The study shows 52% agree with the idea of allowing greater access to private healthcare, while 29% are opposed.

“People understand that the endless waiting lists that characterize our government-run health systems will not be solved by yet another bureaucratic reform,” MEI economist Emmanuelle B. Faubert (pictured) said in a statement.

“They can see that elsewhere in the world, mixed systems that allow more room for independent care providers don’t have the wait times that we have.”

The idea of allowing greater access to private healthcare is particularly popular in Quebec where it is supported by 65% of respondents.

The poll also says almost 73% of Quebecers support the Legault government’s independently run mini-hospitals project with 17% opposed to it.

“Quebecers’ support for the independent mini-hospitals project remains very strong,” Faubert said. “People have high expectations for this project, and the final version of it must be in line with what was promised during the last election.”

A sample of 1,116 Canadians aged 18 years and over was polled between Mar. 22-27, 2024 with the margin of error is ± 3.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The MEI is an independent public policy think tank with offices in Montreal and Calgary.