Poirier Group urges system-level fixes to Canada’s wait-time crisis amid record health spending

Canada’s health-care system is spending more than ever yet delivering slower access, and the problem is rooted in how resources are deployed, not just how much is spent, according to a new perspective outlined by the Poirier Group on April 22, 2026. The Toronto-based consultancy set out system-level solutions aimed at improving patient flow and access to care without relying solely on additional funding.

The group pointed to recent data underscoring growing Intermittent emergency room closures and the fact that over six million Canadians still lack a family doctor add to the strain. Canada ranks last among the top 10 high‑income countries for primary care access, with only 26% of patients able to secure a same‑day or next‑day appointment.

This access crunch comes as health spending hits new highs. The Canadian Institute for Health Information identifies total health expenditures at nearly $400 billion, or about $9,626 per person. The release notes that since 2005, health-care spending has increased by more than 200% after inflation, far outpacing population growth.

Yet wait times have lengthened, raising questions about efficiency and system design. The Poirier Group’s analysis indicates the crisis is driven by systemic misallocation: billions continue to flow into the most expensive, reactive parts of the system—hospitals and acute care—while primary and preventive care remain underfunded.

Year after year, roughly 26% of spending goes to hospitals, 14% to drugs and 14% to physician services, the group notes, while only 5.3% of total health spending is directed to primary care. That share lags the 8.1% average among peer OECD countries. Nations such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, cited for stronger access and outcomes, invest more heavily in robust primary care as a gatekeeper to system sustainability.

The consultancy argues that underinvestment in primary care creates a structural deficit that pushes patients into hospitals later and sicker—especially those with chronic conditions like diabetes, COPD or hypertension—driving higher costs and longer queues. Its perspective emphasizes tackling inefficiencies in patient flow and improving resource allocation so more care is delivered earlier and closer to home.

While the group did not frame increased spending as the primary solution, it called for rebalancing toward primary and preventive services to relieve pressure on hospitals and shorten waits. The argument positions system redesign and targeted investments in front‑line access as key to reversing Canada’s persistent wait‑time trend.