More residents of Alberta are experiencing extended wait times for essential heart and cancer surgeries, raising concerns among healthcare professionals and prompting urgent calls for action. Despite a surge in surgical procedures in the province, the waitlist for surgeries in Alberta has grown compared to two years ago. According to the most recent provincial data from October 2025, only 61 percent of patients received their surgeries within the recommended timeframe.
The current scenario is unfolding as the province commits to enhancing surgical wait times and explores the utilization of chartered surgical facilities for less complex procedures. Stacey Litvinchuk, a former senior program officer overseeing surgery operations and the Alberta Surgical Initiative for Alberta Health Services, expressed unease over the increasing wait times, especially for heart and cancer patients. The data indicates a concerning decline in meeting recommended wait times for critical surgeries.
For instance, in October 2025, only 11 percent of cardiac bypass surgeries were conducted within the specified timeframe, a significant drop from the 60 percent rate seen in the same period in 2019. Similarly, delays in cancer surgeries, including bladder, breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate surgeries, have exacerbated, with only half of the surgeries meeting the recommended timelines.
Dr. May Lynn Quan, a Calgary-based breast cancer specialist, highlighted the challenges faced by breast cancer patients, with only 57 percent of surgeries meeting clinical targets in October 2025, down from 81 percent six years earlier. The insufficient capacity and staffing in hospitals have failed to keep pace with the rising demand for cancer treatments, leading to worsening wait times.
These issues coincide with broader healthcare worker shortages, including anesthesiologists, and the government’s strategy to shift certain procedures to chartered surgical facilities. However, critics argue that this approach merely reallocates existing resources and compromises access to critical surgeries. As concerns mount, urgent action is needed to address the escalating wait times for crucial medical procedures in Alberta.
