Many Canadians say getting medical care today feels harder than it did a decade ago, with growing frustration over the lack of family doctors and long waits to see specialists, according to a new national survey.
A report released on Feb. 5 by the Angus Reid Institute shows that 70 per cent of Canadians believe the health-care system has worsened over the past 10 years. This sentiment comes even as public spending on health care has surged, nearly doubling from $219 billion in 2015 to about $399 billion today.
For millions of people, the problem starts with basic access to a family doctor. Nearly half of those surveyed said they either don’t have a regular physician or struggle to get an appointment when they need one. Eighteen per cent reported having no family doctor at all, while another 32 per cent said booking a visit with their doctor is difficult.
The search for primary care has become so discouraging for some that they have stopped trying. One in eight respondents said they have been looking for a family doctor for more than a year or have given up entirely.
Access issues vary across the country. Saskatchewan residents reported the greatest difficulty, with 41 per cent saying they struggle to see a family doctor and 22 per cent saying they don’t have one. Atlantic Canada followed closely, where 39 per cent reported trouble accessing primary care and 21 per cent said they lack a family physician. In Quebec, nearly one-third of residents said they do not have a family doctor, and 29 per cent reported difficulty getting care.
The contrast with a decade ago is striking. In 2015, only 16 per cent of Canadians said they didn’t have a family doctor, and 24 per cent reported waiting more than a week for an appointment. The report notes that, between 2015 and 2025, the share of Canadians with limited or no access to a family doctor has increased by about 25 per cent.
This decline is happening even though the number of family doctors per person has grown in most provinces, with the exception of Ontario and Alberta. The report points to an aging population with more complex medical needs, along with a rise in specialized family practices, as key reasons why patients are seeing their doctors less often.
Health care has also become a top national concern. More than four in 10 Canadians now say the health-care crisis is the most important issue facing the country more than double the proportion who felt that way 10 years ago.
Problems don’t end with primary care. Many Canadians say navigating the rest of the system is just as challenging. More than half of respondents said it was difficult or impossible to get an appointment with a specialist. Forty per cent reported trouble booking diagnostic tests, nearly half struggled to access surgery when needed, and 56 per cent said there were barriers to seeing a specialist.
The online survey was conducted between Nov. 26 and Dec. 1, 2025, and included responses from 4,025 Canadians nationwide.
