Poll: most Canadians say public health care has worsened as access to family doctors and specialists gets harder
Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتسابA new national poll is reinforcing a growing public perception that Canada’s health care system is slipping, not in principle but in day-to-day access. Reporting by The Canadian Press, published by CityNews, says roughly half of respondents either do not have a family doctor or struggle to see the one they have. A further 55% said it is difficult, very difficult, or nearly impossible to get an appointment with a specialist.
The survey, conducted by Angus Reid Institute, compared results from more than 4,000 respondents surveyed Nov. 26 to Dec. 1, 2025, with a similar 2015 poll. The reporting notes a 25 percentage point increase in difficulty accessing a family doctor since 2015. Seventy per cent of participants said the quality of health care in their province has deteriorated over the past decade, despite spending on health care nearly doubling over the same period.
The findings align with broader system indicators. The Canadian Institute for Health Information reports that 83% of adults have a regular primary care provider, leaving millions without one. Statistics Canada has also reported that the share of adults with a regular provider fell to 82.8% in 2023 after years of hovering around 85%.
For newcomers and families who rely heavily on publicly funded care, the practical impact can be immediate: delays in referrals, chronic disease follow-up, prenatal and pediatric care, and more reliance on walk-ins or emergency departments. The reporting also points to structural pressures, including a family-doctor workforce that is not keeping pace with demand as retirements rise and the population ages.
