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Hip and Knee Replacement Wait Times in Canada by Province (2026)
Between April and September 2025, 69% of hip replacements and 63% of knee replacements in Canada were done within the national 26-week (182-day) benchmark, according to CIHI data released in June 2026. Results vary widely: 31% of knee replacements met the benchmark in Manitoba and 12% in Prince Edward Island, against 69% in Nova Scotia. And the benchmark clock starts only once you are ready for surgery, after the wait to see a surgeon.
Key facts
- Canada, April–September 2025: 69% of hip replacements and 63% of knee replacements done within 182 days of the patient being ready for surgery (CIHI, released 25 June 2026).
- Lowest for knees: Prince Edward Island 12%, Manitoba 31%. Manitoba hips: 47%.
- Nova Scotia: 77% of hips and 69% of knees within the benchmark, second in Canada for both; median wait 103 days for a hip and 129 for a knee.
- Fraser Institute 2025: median 48.6 weeks for orthopaedic surgery from GP referral to treatment, the second-longest of any specialty.
- The 26-week benchmark was agreed by provincial health ministers in 2004.
Checked 14 October 2026
The latest figures
Share of planned joint replacements done within 26 weeks (182 days), April–September 2025
| Jurisdiction | Hip replacement | Knee replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 69% | 63% |
| Nova Scotia | 77% (2nd in Canada) | 69% (2nd in Canada) |
| Manitoba | 47% | 31% |
| Prince Edward Island | — | 12% (lowest in Canada) |
Sources: Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), Wait times in Canada, 2026, released 25 June 2026, as reported by Nova Scotia Health and CBC News. CIHI's interactive tool has every province; we add provinces here as we verify them.
In Nova Scotia, one patient in 10 still waited 374 days for a knee and 289 days for a hip in 2025. In Manitoba, provincial data for January to March 2026 showed a median wait of 25 weeks for a knee replacement.
Why the real wait is longer
CIHI's benchmark counts from the date you and your surgeon agree you are ready for surgery. It leaves out the first wait: from your family doctor's referral to your appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon.
The Fraser Institute's annual physician survey measures both. In 2025 the median total wait from GP referral to treatment was 48.6 weeks for orthopaedic surgery, the second-longest of any specialty (after neurosurgery, 49.9 weeks), against 28.6 weeks across all specialties. By province, total waits across all specialties ranged from 19.2 weeks in Ontario to 60.9 weeks in New Brunswick.
CBC reported in 2025 on a Calgary patient whose knee pain became unbearable during a two-year wait just to see an orthopaedic surgeon.
What you can do
| Option | Cost to you | Things to know |
|---|---|---|
| Stay on the public list | Free | Ask your surgeon's office for your expected date, and whether a central intake or another surgeon has a shorter list |
| Private clinic in Canada | Reported at $20,000–$30,000+ | Where it is allowed depends on your province. See private cost in Canada |
| Surgery abroad, self-funded | Poland: knee from €8,620 (about CA$13,800), hip from €6,940 (about CA$11,110) | Provinces generally do not pay. See will my province pay? and Canada to Poland |
Seeking a quote elsewhere does not remove you from your provincial list. If you have surgery elsewhere, tell your surgeon's office so your place can go to someone else, and keep your family doctor informed.
OrthoVoyage is a medical travel concierge, not a hospital, and does not give medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the wait for a knee replacement in Canada?
Between April and September 2025, 63% of knee replacements in Canada were done within the 26-week benchmark from the date the patient was ready for surgery (CIHI). That leaves out the earlier wait to see a surgeon; the Fraser Institute put the median total wait for orthopaedic surgery at 48.6 weeks from GP referral in 2025.
Which province has the longest wait for knee replacement?
In CIHI's data for April–September 2025, Prince Edward Island had the lowest share of knee replacements done within 26 weeks (12%), followed by Manitoba (31%). The Canadian figure was 63%.
What is the benchmark wait for hip and knee replacement in Canada?
26 weeks (182 days) from the date the patient is ready for surgery, agreed by provincial health ministers in 2004.
Sources
- Nova Scotia Health achieves high rankings in national surgical wait times report — Nova Scotia Health
- Manitoba wait times for knee replacement surgery 2nd worst in country in 2025, data says — CBC News
- Wait times for hip and knee replacements in Nova Scotia now shortest on record — CBC News
- Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2025 — Fraser Institute
- Wait times in Canada — series — Canadian Institute for Health Information
This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Always discuss treatment options with your GP or a specialist.
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Hip and Knee Replacement Abroad from Canada: Poland, Costs and What Your Province Covers (2026)
Will My Province Pay for Hip or Knee Surgery Abroad? OHIP, MSP, Alberta and RAMQ Rules (2026)
Private Hip and Knee Replacement Cost in Canada vs Poland (2026)
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