Some Albertans booked for MRI scans into 2026 as diagnostic wait times grow
Increasing demand in Alberta for diagnostic imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans means more appointments are being made months out, with some Albertans waiting more than a year to get a publicly funded scan.
Alberta Health Services says it aims to increase the number of those scans performed this year by about 57,000 and is outsourcing a small percentage to private operators.
"With our growing population, our aging population, we know we need to do more. So, we're absolutely looking at how we can increase those numbers," said Adriana LaGrange, Alberta's minister of health.
Calgarian Karen Smee says she lives with excruciating pain every day and needs an MRI of her spine for a proper diagnosis.
She received a referral from her doctor last month and was booked in for a scan in March 2026.
"At first, I looked at (my appointment letter) and thought, 'Oh gosh, it's five months, it's next March. Well, that isn't too bad,'" she said.
"Then, I realized I had the year wrong, and it was actually 17 months—2026."
Many private diagnostic operators in Alberta have availability for MRI and CT scan appointments within days or weeks, but they cost several hundred dollars, and insurance does not cover the price in most cases.
It has Albertans like Smee deciding whether to pay out of pocket or wait months and months for care.
She says not everyone can afford to skip the line, and some patients are getting left even further behind in the queue for treatment or surgery.
"It's extremely frustrating, and it feels like we're no longer in publicly funded health care—that there's very much a two-tiered system," Smee said.
"And I believe that I'm in the majority, possibly, of Albertans who are not able to afford to pay for these expensive tests."
More scans being performed: AHS
According to AHS, more than 255,000 MRIs and nearly 596,000 CT scans were performed last year—a jump of about 12.5 per cent compared to the previous year.
From April to the end of September this year, more than 134,000 MRI scans were publicly funded in Alberta.
Nearly 8,900 of those scans were outsourced to private operators—just under seven per cent of the total so far this year.
"We have to make sure that we don't wind up in a situation where we're just two different types of tiered care," said Mark Holland, Canada's minister of health.
"This has to get fixed, and we have to bring those times down. And I'm here to work with the province of Alberta to make that happen."
Stephen Beggs lives in the Edmonton region and has been working with his doctor to properly diagnose and treat a sinus issue for more than three years.
He finally got a referral and an appointment, but it's nine months away.
Instead of waiting and delaying his care, he's decided to go to a private operator.
"The cost is $400 for me to get a CT scan, and I'm scheduled for Tuesday afternoon instead of waiting another nine months," Beggs told CTV News.
"Not everybody has the spare money to go through private health care. It's incredibly troubling."
Alberta spends about a billion dollars every year on diagnostic imaging, which includes MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds, X-rays and mammography.
Funding has increased recently, including $45 million over three years to outsource MRI treatments to private centres.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Sparks fly as MPs question minister on pension implications of proposed election date change
Sparks flew at a parliamentary committee Thursday as MPs questioned Canada's democratic institutions minister about a widely opposed provision in electoral reform legislation that seeks to delay the next fixed election date by one week.
'There is no electricity': Canadian travellers in Cuba urge caution in hurricane's wake
Cuba's power grid was knocked out by Hurricane Rafael, which ripped across the country as a Category 3 storm. In western Cuba, it toppled buildings and pushed 50,000 people to find shelter elsewhere. Cubans were already enduring rolling blackouts due to energy shortages.
Three charged in One Direction singer Liam Payne's death
Three people have been charged in relation to One Direction singer Liam Payne's death in a fall from his Buenos Aires hotel balcony last month, Argentine authorities said on Thursday.
RCMP already 'on high alert' for potential wave of migrants after Trump election
Canada's federal police force has been preparing for months on a contingency plan for a potential massive influx of migrants across the border following Trump's promise of 'mass deportations' of millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
'There was no stopping this baby from coming': Woman gives birth while aboard Newfoundland ferry
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
Volkswagen models recalled for airbag safety precaution
Recall notices have been issued for some Volkswagen models from 2006 to 2019 for airbag safety issues.
Canmore wildlife and landscape defender Karsten Heuer dies peacefully at 56
Canmore conservationist Karsten Heuer, who was a biologist, park ranger, author and activist, has died.
America votes: How celebrities are reacting to Trump's decisive victory
Celebrities from Hulk Hogan to Ariana Grande are sharing their reactions to the U.S. election, which will see Donald Trump return to the White House.
3 Winnipeg police officers charged with breach of trust, theft
Three members of the Winnipeg Police Service have been charged with breach of trust, obstruction of justice and theft following a lengthy investigation