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From waitlists to WhatsApp: why Canadians are going abroad for surgery

A growing number of Canadians are turning to medical tourism not out of choice, but desperation. With over 6.5 million people lacking a family doctor and non-emergency procedures being pushed back indefinitely, many feel they’ve exhausted the public health system. They are flying across continents — to Mexico, Germany, India, and beyond — for procedures they say could save their lives.

Take Allyson Vandenberg from Toronto. Her back pain became unbearable, but she was rejected for surgery before she even saw a surgeon.
“One doctor agreed to see me — with an eight-month wait — then rejected me before even entering the room,” she told CTVNews.ca.

At one point, she even considered medical assistance in dying.
“I had started saying goodbye,” she said.

That changed when a friend in Mexico connected her to a doctor. “We spoke over the phone and WhatsApp until I was comfortable. I had tests on Monday, surgery by Thursday.”

‘I had to go abroad to save my life’: delays, silos, and dead ends

Ronna Hoogstraten from Glen Morris, Ont., said her back and SI joint pain was ignored for years. “My L5-S1 disc had deteriorated to 15 per cent, and other discs were starting to slip. I was afraid I’d end up in a wheelchair.”

A clinic in Germany scheduled her surgery just six days after she sent her MRI scans — long before she even received a referral date in Canada.

Celyn Harding-Jones of Montreal, who lives with a rare brain tumour, couldn’t find a Canadian neurosurgeon willing to operate. “By the time I was 35, I had drop attacks and could barely care for my children.”

She criticized the lack of transparency around out-of-province or international care coverage.
“The process to ask for provincial health boards for out-of-province care are not transparent, and not designed to be completed by people who are seriously sick.”

Because Canadian health care is provincial, patients with rare conditions can fall through the cracks, she said. “We get stuck in silos because we only have access to the qualifications of doctors in our area.”

Medical tourism booms as systemic gaps widen

Alberta’s Louise Zuke said she was advised to seek out-of-country care at her own cost, with only a vague chance of reimbursement.

Veteran Jody Beckett, a retired Canadian Forces captain, underwent cervical spine surgery in Germany after delays from Veterans Affairs.
“They needed several months to evaluate my situation before they would allow my reimbursement,” she said. “I didn’t have several months to wait for the red tape to clear.”

That procedure — spine reconstruction — cost her around $100,000.

Countries like Mexico, India, Turkiye, and Germany are emerging as key destinations, says Simon Fraser University professor Valerie Crooks. “Mexico is a major destination because of its proximity and low barriers to travel… India is also common, especially for Canadians with cultural or family connections.”

Dental tourism is on the rise too. Michelle F. Renaud of Montreal is headed to Turkiye for implants: “Including two round-trip flights, it’s going to cost me less than $5,500.” Her Canadian dentist quoted her over $10,000 — even with insurance.

Others, like Ken Hadall, paid just US$3,500 in Istanbul for a complete dental reconstruction. “My Oakville dentist quoted me $100,000.”

Some nations are tapping into diaspora health care markets, offering bundled medical tourism packages that include airport pickup and hotels.

Medical tourism: relief abroad, uncertainty at home

Professor Crooks warns that while medical travel can offer relief, patients must consider the risks. “People often focus on the upfront cost but forget travel, recovery, or complications,” she said.

Follow-up care is a major issue. Canadian doctors may not be familiar with procedures done abroad — and continuity of care can suffer.

Still, for many, it’s worth it. “There’s no one-size-fits-all answer,” Crooks said. “But patients are clearly trying to take back control in a broken system.”