Which provinces and territories spend the most on healthcare per capita?
Based on data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the Northwest Territories spent more on healthcare per person in 2022 than any other region of Canada. Total healthcare spending in the territory that year reached $22,474.79 per person, nearly $14,000 more than the national average. Canada’s other territories, Nunavut and Yukon, also top the list, spending $22,295.93 and $15,826.36 per capita, respectively. Total healthcare expenditures include government spending on publicly funded services, such as those provided by doctors and at hospitals, publicly-funded, privately delivered services like laboratory tests and x-rays, as well as privately delivered healthcare services not covered by provincial or territorial health insurance plans and paid out-of-pocket by patients, including physiotherapy, prescription drugs, and dental care.
The vast geography of the Northwest Territories and Nunuvut makes it challenging to deliver healthcare to communities. Population centres are far apart and often inaccessible by road. Communities are also smaller than those in provinces, which prevents them from achieving economies of scale that reduce costs. Additionally, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut routinely fly people to other locations for medical attention, which increases healthcare costs. These factors have led to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut consistently ranking at the top of Canadian provinces and territories with the highest per capita healthcare spending.
Among the provinces, healthcare spending per person was highest in Newfoundland and Labrador ($9,906.07 per person) and lowest in Ontario ($8,224.22 per person). Here’s a breakdown of where all the provinces and territories rank.
Northwest Territories - $22,474.79 per captia
Nunavut - $22,295.93 per capita
Yukon - $15,826.36 per capita
Newfoundland and Labrador - $9,906.07 per capita
Nova Scotia - $9,420.98 per capita
Saskatchewan - $9,317.91 per capita
Alberta - $8,949.34 per capita
Manitoba - $8,771.62 per capita
Quebec - $8,746.15 per capita
British Columbia - $8,719.47 per capita
Prince Edward Island - $8,537.17 per capita
New Brunswick - $8,410.28 per capita
Ontario - $8,224.22 per capita
