VICTORIA, B.C.: Conservatives are calling for urgent healthcare reform after new data revealed that 4,620 British Columbians died while on medical waitlists in 2024–25, part of a national total of 23,746 deaths. Since 2018, more than 100,000 Canadians have died waiting for care, yet the B.C. government still refuses to publicly report waitlist deaths or real wait times.

The data, obtained through Freedom of Information requests by SecondStreet.org, highlights a provincial system where thousands die waiting for both surgery and diagnostic imaging each year, often long after they have exceeded medically recommended timelines.

B.C. Waitlist Deaths in 2024–25

Surgical deaths (839):
 • Interior: 222
 • Fraser: 202
 • Northern: 63
 • Island: 137
 • Vancouver Coastal: 215		Diagnostic deaths (3,781):
 • Interior: 1,364
 • Fraser: 1,602
 • Northern: 17
 • Island: 339
 • Vancouver Coastal: 459

Conservative Health Critic Dr. Anna Kindy said the data reinforces the need for more wait time transparency. Dr. Kindy is presently advancing her private member’s bill (Bill M-219, Health Authorities Amendment Act) that will compel Health Authorities to ensure patients are informed whenever life-saving treatment cannot be provided within the medically recommended time frame. The public deserves to make an informed decision regarding their health and the need to seek care elsewhere, especially if it’s about life or death.

Bill M-219 will require British Columbia health authorities to inform patients of:

  • The real expected wait time
  • The medically recommended time for care
  • Provide options, if any that are available to patients for obtaining equivalent health services outside the board’s region
  • Fully transparent reporting of the number of British Columbians dying waiting for life-saving treatment

“Families are losing loved ones because this government is hiding real wait times,” said Dr. Kindy. “Patients deserve honest information so they can make life-saving decisions before it’s too late. Transparency is the first step to accountability.”

“A province wide database of wait-times for life-saving diagnostics and treatments will enable targeted policy and resourcing decisions by the Health Authorities.”

“With over 4,600 British Columbians dying in 2024-25 while waiting for life saving care, maintaining the status quo is simply unacceptable in a modern, transparent, accountable universal health care system,” Dr. Kindy added. “The province inspects restaurants more thoroughly than they inspect patient safety,” Dr. Kindy added.

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Media Contact:
Francesca Guetchev, Communications Officer
Francesca.Guetchev@leg.bc.ca
+1 (672) 922-0948