Healthcare expenditure in Canada – statistics & facts

Canada’s universal healthcare system, also known as Canadian Medicare, is decentralized and publicly funded. It provides relatively equitable access to medically necessary healthcare services through 13 provincial and territorial tax-funded public insurance plans. The recent COVID pandemic, in addition to a lack of healthcare workers, lengthy access wait times, and anticipated increases in demand for care brought on by an aging population have put a strain on Canada's healthcare system. In 2022, overall health expenditure in Canada is predicted to be 331 billion Canadian dollars or 8,563 Canadian dollars per person. It is predicted that health spending will account for 12.2 percent of Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022.

How is health care funded?

The Canadian healthcare system is financed by using a mix of federal and provincial revenue collected through taxation, such as personal and corporate taxes, sales taxes, payroll levies, and other revenue, but it is administered at the local level. More than 70 percent is funded by the provinces and territories, while the federal government funds around 25 percent through the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). The CHT is the largest single transfer that is made to the provinces and territories. Currently, the provincial governments are urging the federal government to unconditionally and immediately raise the share of healthcare costs funded to 35 percent and maintain it long-term to help cover the rising health costs. However, the federal government is in support of conditional transfers that are targeted toward specific issues that are seen as "national priorities" such as mental health and long-term care for the elderly.

Total healthcare expenditure

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) reports that hospitals, physicians, and prescription drugs accounted for over 50 percent of the total health expenditure (THE) in 2022. Spending on the hospital category alone amounted to over 80 billion Canadian dollars in 2022, the largest category of THE. In response to the pandemic in 2020, the Canadian government set aside a separate budget for COVID-related expenditures. The average per capita spending on COVID-19 varied significantly between provinces in Canada from 2020 to 2022. The total health expenditure is largely funded by the public sector, while the private sector was predicted to account for nearly 28 percent in 2022. Healthcare services like prescription drugs, dental, and vision care are usually out-of-pocket expenses, accounting for nearly 15 percent of THE in 2019. Although, among all OECD countries the Canadian healthcare system is one of the most expensive it has ranked poorly when comparing the performance indicators.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

Total health expenditure in Canada in 2022: 331 bn CAD

Total public sector healthcare spending in Canada in 2022: 237.6 bn CAD

Annual percentage change in private health expenditure in Canada in 2022: 6.3%

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Total health expenditure as a percentage of GDP in Canada from 1975 to 2023

Health Economics

Health spending as share of GDP in Canada 1975-2023

Total health expenditure per capita in Canada from 1975 to 2023 (in Canadian dollars)

Health Economics

Total health spending per capita in Canada 1975-2023

Provincial/territorial government sector health expenditure per capita in Canada in 2023, by province (in Canadian dollars)

Health Economics

Provincial governmental health spending per capita in Canada 2023, by province

Recommended statistics

Overview

Premium Statistic Health spending as share of GDP in Canada 1975-2023
Health spending as share of GDP in Canada 1975-2023
Total health expenditure as a percentage of GDP in Canada from 1975 to 2023
Premium Statistic Public health spending per capita in Canada by source of finance 1975-2023
Public health spending per capita in Canada by source of finance 1975-2023
Per capita public health expenditure in Canada by source of finance from 1975 to 2023 (in Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Health expenditures in Canada 2005-2023
Health expenditures in Canada 2005-2023
Total health expenditure in Canada from 2005 to 2023 (in billion Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Health spending in Canada by sector 1975-2023
Health spending in Canada by sector 1975-2023
Total health expenditure in Canada by sector from 1975 to 2023 (in million Canadian dollars)
Basic Statistic Health spending per capita annual change in Canada 1976-2023
Health spending per capita annual change in Canada 1976-2023
Annual percent change in total health expenditure per capita in Canada from 1976 to 2023
Premium Statistic Health spending annual change in Canada 1976-2023
Health spending annual change in Canada 1976-2023
Annual percent change in total health expenditure in Canada from 1976 to 2023

Provincal spending

Premium Statistic Provincial governmental health spending per capita in Canada 2023, by province
Provincial governmental health spending per capita in Canada 2023, by province
Provincial/territorial government sector health expenditure per capita in Canada in 2023, by province (in Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Clinical payments to physicians in Canada 2020/2021, by region
Clinical payments to physicians in Canada 2020/2021, by region
Clinical payments to physicians in Canada in 2020/2021, by region (in 1,000 Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Hospital spending per capita in Canada by province 2023
Hospital spending per capita in Canada by province 2023
Hospital expenditure per capita in Canada by province in 2023 (in Canadian dollars)
Basic Statistic Physician spending per capita in Canada by province 2023
Physician spending per capita in Canada by province 2023
Physician expenditure per capita in Canada by province and territory in 2023 (in Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Drug spending as percent of total health spending in each Canadian province 2023
Drug spending as percent of total health spending in each Canadian province 2023
Drug expenditure as percentage of total health spending in Canadian provinces and territories in 2023
Premium Statistic Medication spending per capita in Canada by province 2023
Medication spending per capita in Canada by province 2023
Drug expenditure per capita in Canada by province in 2023 (in Canadian dollars)

Use and sources of funds

Premium Statistic Total health spending in Canada by use of funds 2023
Total health spending in Canada by use of funds 2023
Total Canadian health expenditures by use of funds in 2023 (in million Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Private health care spending in Canada by use of funds 2023
Private health care spending in Canada by use of funds 2023
Private sector health care expenditures in Canada in 2023, by use of funds (in million Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Share of public and private health spending in Canada 1975-2023
Share of public and private health spending in Canada 1975-2023
Distribution of total public and private health expenditure in Canada from 1975 to 2023
Basic Statistic Distribution of public health spending in Canada by source of finance 1975-2023
Distribution of public health spending in Canada by source of finance 1975-2023
Distribution of total public health expenditure in Canada by source of finance from 1975 to 2023
Basic Statistic Health spending in Canada on professional care by use 2010-2023
Health spending in Canada on professional care by use 2010-2023
Health expenditure on professional care in Canada from 2010 to 2023, by type of use (in million Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Private and public health spending annual change in Canada 1976-2023
Private and public health spending annual change in Canada 1976-2023
Annual change in public and private health expenditure in Canada from 1976 to 2023

Healthcare services

Basic Statistic Private sector professional care health spending in Canada by use 2010-2023
Private sector professional care health spending in Canada by use 2010-2023
Private sector health expenditure on professional care in Canada by type from 2010 to 2023 (in million Canadian dollars)
Basic Statistic Dental service expenditures in Canada's private and public sectors 2010-2023
Dental service expenditures in Canada's private and public sectors 2010-2023
Dental service expenditures in Canada's private and public sectors from 2010 to 2023 (in million Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Hospital spending as percent total health in each Canadian province 2023
Hospital spending as percent total health in each Canadian province 2023
Hospital expenditure as percentage of total health expenditures in Canadian provinces and territories in 2023
Premium Statistic Total Canadian other professional's health spending by type and source 2023
Total Canadian other professional's health spending by type and source 2023
Total other professional's health expenditures in Canada by type and source of finance in 2012 and 2023 (in million Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Physician spending as percent total health in each Canadian province 2023
Physician spending as percent total health in each Canadian province 2023
Physician expenditure as percentage of total health expenditures in Canadian provinces and territories in 2023
Premium Statistic Total clinical payments to physicians in Canada 1999 to 2022
Total clinical payments to physicians in Canada 1999 to 2022
Total clinical payments to physicians in Canada in fiscal years between 1999/2000 and 2021/2022 (in 1,000 Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Growth of clinical payments to physicians in Canada 2000-2022
Growth of clinical payments to physicians in Canada 2000-2022
Annual growth of total clinical payments to physicians in Canada in from 2000/2001 and 2021/2022

Prescription drugs expenditure

Premium Statistic Total Canadian drug spending in Canada by type and finance source 2012 vs 2023
Total Canadian drug spending in Canada by type and finance source 2012 vs 2023
Total drug expenditures in Canada in 2012 and 2023, by type and finance source (in billion Canadian dollars)
Basic Statistic Share of drug spending in Canada by type and finance source 2012 vs 2023
Share of drug spending in Canada by type and finance source 2012 vs 2023
Distribution of total drug expenditures in Canada by type and source of finance in 2012 and 2023
Premium Statistic Private sector Rx and non-Rx drug spending in Canada 1975-2023
Private sector Rx and non-Rx drug spending in Canada 1975-2023
Private sector expenditure on prescribed and non-prescribed drugs in Canada from 1975 to 2023 (in million Canadian dollars)
Basic Statistic Public drug program spending in Canada by therapy share 2022
Public drug program spending in Canada by therapy share 2022
Distribution of total public drug program spending in Canada by therapy in 2022
Basic Statistic Total public drug program spending in Canada by therapy 2022
Total public drug program spending in Canada by therapy 2022
Total public drug program spending in Canada by therapy in 2022 (in million Canadian dollars)
Basic Statistic Rates of change in dispensing costs in Canada by public drug plan 2016-2020
Rates of change in dispensing costs in Canada by public drug plan 2016-2020
Annual rates of change in drug dispensing costs in Canada by public drug plan from FY 2017/18 to FY 2019/20

Out-of-pocket spending

Premium Statistic Out-of-pocket share of total health care expenditures in Canada 2010-2021
Out-of-pocket share of total health care expenditures in Canada 2010-2021
Out-of-pocket spending as a share of total health care expenditures in Canada from 2010 to 2021
Premium Statistic Canada per capita out-of-pocket health care spending 2010-2021
Canada per capita out-of-pocket health care spending 2010-2021
Per capita out-of-pocket health care expenses in Canada from 2010 to 2021 (in Canadian dollars)
Premium Statistic Long term care OOP spending share of total health expenditure in Canada 2010-2021
Long term care OOP spending share of total health expenditure in Canada 2010-2021
Long term care out-of-pocket (OOP) spending as a share of total health care expenditure in Canada from 2010 to 2021

COVID funding

Basic Statistic Public funding for COVID-19 in Canada 2020-2022, by province
Public funding for COVID-19 in Canada 2020-2022, by province
Total funding for COVID--19 response in Canada from 2020 to 2022, by province (in million Canadian dollars)
Basic Statistic Public funding for COVID-19 in Canada 2020-2022, by government
Public funding for COVID-19 in Canada 2020-2022, by government
Total funding for COVID-19 by the federal and provincial government in Canada from 2020 to 2022 (in million Canadian dollars)
Basic Statistic Expenditure per capita for COVID-19 in Canada 2020-2022, by province
Expenditure per capita for COVID-19 in Canada 2020-2022, by province
Average per capita expenditure for COVID-19 response in Canada from 2020 to 2022, by province (in Canadian dollars)

Outlook

Premium Statistic GDP share of health expenditure in Canada 2014-2029
GDP share of health expenditure in Canada 2014-2029
GDP share of health expenditure in Canada from 2014 to 2029
Premium Statistic Expenditure on healthcare in Canada 2014-2029
Expenditure on healthcare in Canada 2014-2029
Expenditure on healthcare in Canada from 2014 to 2029 (in million U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Spending per capita on healthcare expenditure in Canada 2014-2029
Spending per capita on healthcare expenditure in Canada 2014-2029
Spending per capita on healthcare expenditure in Canada from 2014 to 2029 (in U.S. dollars)

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