Canada ranks 27th of 31 peer nations on MRI machine density
Canada reported 10.6 MRI machines per million population in 2022, ranking 27th out of 31 universal health-care countries and trailing fifth-ranked Germany's 32.5 machines per million.
The capacity gap
According to a Fraser Institute commentary citing 2022 OECD-comparable data, Canada's MRI machine density places it near the bottom of high-income universal health-care systems. On CT scanners, Canada reported 14.6 units per million population and ranked 28th of 31 countries, while second-ranked Australia reported 78.5 units per million.
A separate 2026 compilation of publicly reported wait-time data pegged Canada at approximately 10 MRI machines per million residents, compared with roughly 40 per million in the United States and about 55 per million in Japan.
Wait-time consequences
In 2024, the latest year of available data cited by the Fraser Institute, patients could expect a 16.2-week wait for an MRI, more than three weeks longer than in 2023, and an 8.1-week wait for a CT scan, about a week and a half longer than the prior year.
The same Fraser Institute commentary noted that the median wait between referral to a specialist by a general practitioner and receipt of treatment reached 30 weeks in 2024.
CIHI's national indicator
The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) maintains a national indicator for MRI wait times covering Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, with data available for fiscal years 2008 through 2025. CIHI last updated the indicator in June 2026 and reports it annually.
The indicator measures the number of days from the date an order or requisition is received to the date the patient receives the MRI scan, reported at the 50th and 90th percentiles for publicly funded procedures. It excludes routine follow-up scans and mammography and prenatal screening.
Structural drivers
The 2026 wait-time compilation identified several structural factors alongside the machine shortage, including a shortage of qualified MRI technologists and radiologists that limits scans per day, and limited operating hours at many facilities, which typically run 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. Extending hours to evenings and weekends could increase throughput by 40 to 60 percent, though staffing costs and collective agreements often prevent this.
MRI scanners cost approximately $1.5 million to $3 million each, with additional ongoing operational funding required for staffing, maintenance, and facility costs.
Provincial variation
The 2026 compilation reported estimated average non-urgent MRI waits ranging from 8 weeks in Quebec to 20 weeks in Prince Edward Island, with Alberta at 14 weeks average and Saskatchewan at 15 weeks average. British Columbia was estimated at 10 weeks average with a year-over-year decrease of 0.5 weeks.
For readers comparing private-pay options, MRIPrices.ca publishes clinic fee schedules for private MRI clinics in Alberta, private MRI clinics in British Columbia, private MRI clinics in Quebec, and private MRI clinics in Saskatchewan. Additional context is available on the MRI news page.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
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