TORONTO — Ontario’s shift to sending publicly funded surgeries and diagnostic imaging to private, for‑profit clinics has not produced the shorter waits the province has promised, according to a new study released Monday.
Study links outsourcing to longer waits for several procedures
The research, compiled from publicly available provincial data and information obtained through four Freedom of Information requests, concluded that wait times for a number of priority procedures have increased since the government expanded the role of private clinics.
Using figures from the Canadian Institute for Health Information and other sources, the report found that median wait times for eight of 12 priority procedures rose between 2017 and 2025. Procedures highlighted in the study that have been partly outsourced to Integrated Community Health Services Centres — for‑profit facilities paid by the public system — include cataract surgery and MRI scans.
"Since the provincial government has prioritized for‑profit surgical and diagnostic delivery over the expansion of public sector capacity and improvement, wait times are generally increasing in Ontario," wrote Andrew Longhurst, the study’s author.
Specific procedures show mixed results, but longer waits for many patients
The study points to modest and worrying changes depending on the procedure. For cataract surgery, the median wait edged up slightly from 67 days in 2017 to 68 days in 2025. Magnetic resonance imaging waits increased more substantially, from a median of 35 days in 2017 to 47 days in 2025 — roughly a 35 per cent rise. Computed tomography (CT) scan median waits, by contrast, were unchanged at six days.
But the author stressed medians only tell part of the story. The report flagged large increases in wait times for patients further down the distribution: the 90th percentile wait — the time endured by the longest‑waiting 10 per cent of patients — rose by 95 per cent for MRI and an eye‑watering 231 per cent for CT scans. That suggests many patients are facing much longer delays even when medians look stable.
What the numbers mean for patients and policy
Those figures have practical implications for people across the province. Longer waits for diagnostic imaging can delay treatment decisions, prolong discomfort and increase anxiety for patients. Cataract surgery delays can affect mobility and quality of life, particularly among older Ontarians who rely on timely procedures to maintain independence.
The study critiques the provincial approach of buying capacity from private providers rather than investing in expanding public sector staffing, facilities and throughput. It warns that a continued emphasis on outsourcing risks leaving behind those who already wait longest for care.
- Key findings: Median wait increases for eight of 12 procedures between 2017 and 2025.
- Notable rises: MRI median wait increased from 35 to 47 days; cataract median moved 67 to 68 days.
- Deep‑end waits: 90th percentile wait jumped 95% for MRI and 231% for CT.
Local impact across Ontario’s urban and rural communities
Ontario’s health system serves a geographically diverse population. In the city, private clinics have been used to manage backlogs and increase throughput; in smaller communities, outsourced services are sometimes the only local option. The report does not provide a breakdown by region, but the marked increases at the 90th percentile point to disproportionate burdens for some patients — likely including those in rural and remote areas where public capacity is limited.
Health administrators and clinicians have previously told reporters that while private clinics can provide surge capacity, they cannot by themselves resolve systemic staffing shortages or the need for operating room time, nursing and specialist availability within hospitals.
What comes next
The study’s release is likely to intensify scrutiny of the province’s strategy for reducing wait times. Policymakers will face pressure to show whether contracting with for‑profit clinics actually expands effective capacity or simply redistributes pressure across the system.
| Procedure | Median wait 2017 | Median wait 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Cataract surgery | 67 days | 68 days |
| MRI | 35 days | 47 days |
| CT scan | 6 days | 6 days |
Provincial officials have previously argued outsourcing is one tool among many to address backlogs. The government’s next steps — whether to increase investment in public capacity, change the mix between public and contracted private delivery, or pursue other reforms — will be watched closely by patients and hospital leaders across the province.
For now, the study underscores a simple reality for many Ontarians: despite policy shifts intended to speed care, a sizable share of patients are waiting longer than they did a decade ago.
