2026-07-15 from cbc.ca

A new national report finds that 4.5 million Canadians who are middle aged and older have had trouble accessing specialist care — a problem that could only get worse as the country's population ages.  

The Statistics Canada findings published Wednesday break down who is experiencing roadblocks with the system and the toll it's taking on their health. Experts say wait times for specialized care continue to get worse across the country, as the health-care system struggles to manage an aging population of people with complex conditions while dealing with a lack of family doctors, specialists and proper tools to prioritize patients. 

"One of the biggest reasons why people can't get access to specialist care is they don't even have a primary care provider," said Dr. Samir Sinha, a geriatrician and clinician scientist at Sinai Health and Toronto's University Health Network. He was not part of the Statistics Canada report. 

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