The health care system in Canada
The health care system is a source of pride for Canadians. Canadians enjoy high-quality health care services that are free to all publicly insured residents.
Canada ranks 5th on the list of countries with the best health care systems. In addition, Canada is ranked #1 in the world's healthiest countries based on 10 key indicators, including obesity rates, depression rates, alcohol and tobacco use, and government spending on health care.
A quality health care system is one of the reasons why there are so many long-livers in the country. The average life expectancy in Canada is 81 years for men and 85 years for women.
Public and private clinics
Health care services in Canada are divided into primary and secondary services. Primary health care services include basic emergency services, prevention and treatment of injuries and common illnesses, hospital referrals and specialist care, pregnancy monitoring and primary birth care, and rehabilitation services. Canadians go to their family doctor (general practitioner) first in case of illness or injury. If they want to consult a subspecialist or are advised to visit one, the general practitioner makes a referral to a specialized hospital, which is considered secondary medical care.
Most clinics in Canada are government-run, and they provide services for free. The Canada Health Act sets national standards — the criteria and conditions that provinces and territories must meet in order to receive funding from the government.
Canada's best public hospitals are located in major cities such as Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
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