N.B. patients face highest costs waiting for medical care: study

A hospital bed in a New Brunswick hospital is seen in this undated file photo.

Patients in New Brunswick face the highest costs waiting for medical care nationwide, according to a new study.

A new study by the Fraser Institute, a right-leaning think tank, finds the average cost per patient in New Brunswick was exponentially higher than other provinces at $4,864, with the second highest being Quebec at $3,912.

The survey also found the total median wait time in Canada for medical treatment in 2025 was the second longest in the survey’s history at 28.6 weeks.

According to the study, Canadians lost $4.2 billion in lost wages and productivity last year due to long waits for surgery and medical treatment, which adds up to about $3,043 for each of the estimated 1,386,286 Canadians who were waiting for treatment in 2025.

“Waiting long periods of time for medically necessary treatment remains a hallmark of the Canadian health-care system, and in addition to increased pain and suffering—and potentially worse medical outcomes—these long waits also cost Canadians valuable time during which they are unable to work effectively, enjoy time with family, or participate fully in their own lives,” said Nadeem Esmail, director of health policy studies at the Fraser Institute.

By province, the average value for time lost during a work week in 2025 for patients waiting for treatment was:

• New Brunswick: $4,846
• Nova Scotia: $3,317
• Prince Edward Island: $3,466
• Newfoundland and Labrador: $3,261
• British Columbia: $2,720
• Alberta: $3,724
• Saskatchewan: $3,195
• Manitoba: $3,220
• Ontario: $1,918
• Quebec: $3,912

The Fraser Institute adds the $4.2 billion estimate in lost wages is likely conservative, as it doesn’t factor in the additional 15.3 week wait to see a specialist, or the wait time for tests like MRI’s and CT scans.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.