A commentary by Cam Ross, a resident of Victoria.
The author of the July 3 commentary “Don’t let Alberta’s two-tier health care spread to B.C.” speaks passionately about retaining the B.C. public health care system without other options.
While I respect her perspective, I disagree with her argument.
Provinces are responsible for managing two critical portfolios: health and education.
While there are other areas of federal and provincial government split in responsibility, these stand out. They are also recurring hot topics in elections.
The University of Calgary released a report on July 2 titled “Unravelling Reasons for Canadians’ Relocation to the United States.”
The report highlighted the two main reasons: jobs (28 per cent) and health care (26 per cent).
The report highlights concern that those that migrate to the U.S. are well-educated Canadians who are attracted to corporate America which “offers robust, employer-sponsored medical coverage alongside a job contract.”
Before anyone starts to yell about the university being in Alberta and therefore right wing, I’d remind them these kinds of studies by the School of Public Policy are rigorously peer-reviewed and cited by policy makers across the political spectrum.
Foremost in their studies is the principle: “If it matters, measure it.”
B.C.’s education system mixes public, private and religious schools. Dentistry offers both public and private options.
Within our “public” health-care system, a Canuck goalie or Whitecap mid-fielder can jump specialist queues through private fast-tracks.
We accept multiple systems for everything; why not health care?
Australia, with regulated public/private health care, is far ahead of us with 4.2 physicians per 1,000 compared to Canada’s mere 2.7. Similarly, Australia has 13 nurses per 1,000 to Canada’s 10.
Medical outcomes offer better measurements, but what is telling is that in 2025, 71 per cent of Australians were satisfied with their national health care while Canadians came in at a lowly 50 per cent.
My wife recently had a shoulder injury from a fall. While in considerable pain, she was advised that the B.C. wait time for a screening call could be 10 months … and that was just to see a “gatekeeper” doctor to determine whether surgery was indeed needed. A longer wait if the injury was deemed to require surgery.
After a manageable two-month wait, a drive to Alberta, a day surgery and a total of $23,000 later, she was well onto recovery.
We chose that course of action because we had the option of cancelling or postponing “desirable” activities (purchases, trips, eating out, etc.) and using saved funds for an essential procedure.
I can’t imagine the pain and suffering endured for months or even years by, say, a low-income single mother with a couple of children.
In those cases, I have no problem with my tax dollars covering such public health operations … if promptly administered.
However, B.C. citizens should be given the right to decide on options; we do so for dental care and education.
There is absolutely no reason why B.C. could not be the leader in the 38-country OECD in health care.
With the wealth of natural and human resources fuelling a vibrant economy, our potential is extraordinary.
But families will only stay or migrate to B.C. if they feel confident that their health will be well cared for.
And that is in the hands of the provincial government.