More residents of Alberta are experiencing extended waits for crucial cardiac and cancer surgeries, raising concerns among healthcare professionals and prompting calls for immediate intervention. Despite a rise in the number of surgeries conducted in the province, the waitlist in Alberta has grown longer compared to two years ago. The most recent provincial data, as of October 2025, reveals that only 61 percent of patients underwent surgeries within the recommended timeframe.
These troubling trends have come to light as the province pledges to enhance surgical wait times and moves forward with plans to utilize chartered surgical facilities for less intricate procedures. Stacey Litvinchuk, a former senior program officer overseeing surgery operations and the Alberta Surgical Initiative for Alberta Health Services, expressed apprehension about the increasing wait times for cancer and cardiac surgeries. She emphasized that the delays pose a significant risk to patients, particularly those awaiting critical procedures.
In October 2025, just 11 percent of cardiac bypass surgeries were performed within the specified timeframe, a stark contrast to the 60 percent completion rate in the same month of 2019. The situation is equally concerning for cancer surgeries, with wait times for the top five procedures deteriorating over the years. For instance, in October 2019, 65 percent of these surgeries were completed within the recommended durations, which decreased to 51 percent six years later.
Dr. May Lynn Quan, a Calgary-based general surgeon specializing in breast cancer, highlighted the challenges faced by breast cancer patients due to prolonged waits for surgeries. The percentage of breast cancer surgeries completed within clinical targets dropped from 81 percent to 57 percent over the past six years. Quan emphasized the importance of timely treatment, noting that delays could lead to cancer progression beyond manageable stages.
The healthcare system in Alberta is grappling with shortages of medical professionals, including anesthesiologists, amidst a push to shift certain procedures to chartered surgical facilities. However, critics argue that this redistribution of resources may compromise access to critical surgeries. Despite efforts to improve surgical wait times, concerns persist over the growing demand for timely and effective healthcare services in the province.