Last reviewed and updated: September 2026

Hip replacement surgery can significantly improve pain, mobility and quality of life for people with advanced hip arthritis and other conditions affecting the joint. In Canada, however, hip replacement wait times can vary considerably by province, region, hospital and surgeon.

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) continues to track hip replacement wait times across Canada. Its latest hip replacement indicators were updated in June 2026 and include data through 2025.

What Is Canada's Benchmark for Hip Replacement Surgery?

Canada's benchmark for planned total hip replacement surgery is:

According to CIHI's hip replacement wait-time indicator, the measurement begins when the patient and the appropriate physician have agreed that a total hip replacement should proceed and the patient is ready to receive treatment.

Before reaching that stage, a patient may already have spent time waiting to:

• see a family physician or other primary care provider;
• obtain diagnostic imaging;
• receive a referral to an orthopedic surgeon;
• attend an orthopedic consultation;
• complete non-surgical treatment; or
• complete additional testing or medical optimization.

For this reason, the published surgical wait time may be substantially shorter than the patient's complete referral-to-treatment journey.

How Are Hip Replacement Wait Times Measured?

CIHI generally reports several measures rather than relying on a single average.

Median or 50th percentile: Half of patients received surgery within this amount of time and half waited longer.

90th percentile: Nine out of 10 patients received surgery within this amount of time, while approximately 1 patient in 10 waited longer.

Percentage within benchmark: The percentage of planned hip replacement procedures completed within 182 days.

These measures are important because a relatively reasonable median wait can still exist alongside much longer waits for a portion of patients.

Hip Replacement Wait Times Across Canada

There is no single wait time that applies to every Canadian patient. Waits can differ substantially not only between provinces, but also between regions, hospitals and individual surgeons.

The table below provides examples from recent official provincial reporting. These figures should not be interpreted as a direct province-to-province ranking because the reporting dates and methodologies are not identical.

Important: Published wait times describe historical groups of patients who have already received surgery. They should not be interpreted as a guarantee of how long an individual patient will wait.

For the most standardized national and provincial comparison, patients can review CIHI's national wait-time reporting tool.

Hip Replacement Wait Times in Ontario

Ontario tracks orthopedic surgical wait times across hospitals and regions. A patient's hip replacement wait time can vary according to location, hospital, surgeon and clinical priority.

Patients can search current local information using the Ontario Health Wait Times tool.

This is particularly useful because a province-wide number may not reflect the wait associated with a specific hospital or surgeon.

Hip Replacement Wait Times in British Columbia

British Columbia provides detailed public reporting for hip replacement surgery.

Recent provincial data reported a median wait of approximately 16.7 weeks, while the 90th-percentile wait was approximately 51 weeks.

This demonstrates why the median does not provide the complete picture: many patients may receive surgery relatively quickly while a smaller group experiences substantially longer waits.

Patients can review updated figures through the British Columbia Surgery Wait Times system.

Hip Replacement Wait Times in Alberta

Hip replacement wait times in Alberta can differ between Edmonton, Calgary and other regions and facilities.

CIHI includes Alberta in its standardized national hip replacement reporting, allowing patients to compare the province with other Canadian jurisdictions using the same broad methodology.

Alberta patients should also ask their orthopedic team which portion of the treatment pathway an estimated wait refers to, since the wait for consultation and the wait after surgery has been booked are different measurements.

Hip Replacement Wait Times in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan maintains detailed surgical performance and wait-time reporting, including information by service area and specialty.

The province notes that wait times can be influenced by surgical priority, operating-room resources and individual surgeon wait lists.

Current provincial information is available through the Government of Saskatchewan Surgical Performance and Wait Times page.

Hip Replacement Wait Times in Manitoba

Manitoba Health reported a provincial median wait of approximately 17 weeks for total hip replacement in June 2026.

However, the provincial data also shows substantial differences between surgical facilities. This means that a Manitoba-wide median may not predict the experience of a patient assigned to a particular hospital.

Current information can be reviewed on the Manitoba Health Total Hip Replacement Wait Times page.

Hip Replacement Wait Times in Quebec

Hip replacement wait times in Quebec also vary according to region, hospital, surgeon and clinical priority.

For Quebec patients, it is particularly important to distinguish between:

• the wait for an orthopedic consultation;
• the wait after a decision has been made to proceed with surgery; and
• the expected wait at the specific institution where the surgery will take place.

CIHI includes Quebec in its standardized Canadian hip replacement reporting.

Patients facing a prolonged wait may also wish to understand whether private total hip replacement surgery is appropriate for their situation.

Hip Replacement Wait Times in New Brunswick

Recent New Brunswick provincial reporting demonstrates how substantially wait times can fluctuate.

For the October-to-December 2025 reporting period, the provincial median hip replacement wait was approximately 204 days, and approximately 48% of procedures were completed within the 182-day benchmark.

New Brunswick also reports significant differences between health zones.

Current information is available through the New Brunswick Health Council's Access to Surgery data.

Hip Replacement Wait Times in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia reports both the wait for orthopedic consultation and the subsequent surgical wait.

Recent provincial reporting showed that 50% of patients receiving their first hip replacement underwent surgery within approximately 101 days.

However, the consultation wait is measured separately and can add significant time to the overall patient journey.

Current provincial and facility-level results are available through Nova Scotia's Hip Replacement Wait Time Information.

Hip Replacement Wait Times in Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island has reported substantially longer hip replacement waits than some other Canadian provinces.

For January through June 2025, Health PEI reported:

• 50% of patients treated within 328 days
• 90% of patients treated within 632 days

Because these figures represent completed historical cases, an individual patient's future wait may be shorter or longer.

See the latest available information on the Health PEI Surgery Wait Times page.

Hip Replacement Wait Times in Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador reports hip replacement waits by health zone, and these can differ considerably across the province.

The province measures the surgical wait from the point when the patient and orthopedic surgeon decide to proceed with surgery until the procedure is completed.

Patients should therefore look at both their specific health zone and the expected wait associated with their surgeon or program rather than relying only on a Canada-wide figure.

Newfoundland and Labrador wait-time information is available through the provincial wait-time reporting system.

Why Do Hip Replacement Wait Times Vary?

There is no single reason why one province, hospital or patient may experience a shorter or longer wait.

According to CIHI, factors that can affect wait times include:

• availability of health-care resources;
• operating-room capacity;
• surgical volumes;
• efficiency at individual facilities;
• patient condition and clinical priority;
• treatment complexity;
• patient choice or availability;
• availability of follow-up care; and
• seasonal changes in health-system demand.

Even two patients in the same province may therefore receive very different estimated hip replacement wait times.

What Can Happen While You Are Waiting for Hip Replacement?

For some patients, waiting several months may be manageable with appropriate medical treatment. For others, progressive hip pain and reduced mobility can significantly interfere with daily life.

People waiting for joint replacement may experience changes in:

• pain;
• walking tolerance;
• mobility;
• sleep;
• ability to work;
• ability to exercise;
• muscle strength;
• independence; and
• overall quality of life.

For a more detailed discussion, read how prolonged waits for hip and knee replacement can affect patients.

If your symptoms change significantly while you are waiting, contact your physician or surgical team rather than assuming that your original wait-list status will automatically change.

What Can You Do if Your Hip Replacement Wait Is Too Long?

Ask how your wait is being measured

Confirm whether the estimated wait refers to:

• referral to orthopedic consultation;
• decision-to-treat to surgery; or
• the complete referral-to-treatment pathway.

These are not the same measurements.

Ask whether another surgeon or facility has a shorter wait

Depending on your provincial health system and referral pathway, another surgical program may have different availability.

Ask about cancellation opportunities

If your schedule is flexible, ask whether you can be contacted if an earlier surgical date becomes available because of a cancellation.

Keep your surgical team informed

If your symptoms or overall health change significantly while you are waiting, inform your physician or surgical office.

Consider another orthopedic opinion

A second consultation may help clarify whether hip replacement remains the most appropriate treatment, whether another procedure should be considered and what treatment pathways are available.

Private Hip Replacement Surgery in Canada

Some Canadians facing prolonged public-system waits choose to investigate private hip replacement surgery.

Dr. John Antoniou provides private total hip replacement surgery in Montreal for appropriately selected patients from Quebec and other parts of Canada.

Private treatment should still begin with a proper orthopedic evaluation. The surgeon must determine whether hip replacement is appropriate based on factors such as:

• diagnosis;
• symptoms;
• X-rays and other imaging;
• previous treatments;
• overall health;
• anatomy and bone quality; and
• individual goals and activity level.

Patients travelling from another province should also understand the treatment cost, travel requirements, postoperative rehabilitation and follow-up plan before deciding how to proceed.

How Much Does a Private Hip Replacement Cost in Canada?

Private hip replacement pricing varies according to the surgeon, surgical facility, implant, complexity of the procedure and services included in the treatment package.

With Dr. Antoniou, private total hip replacement currently starts at $19,800 CAD.

For a detailed breakdown, see our guide to private hip replacement costs in Canada.

How Quickly Can Private Hip Replacement Surgery Be Scheduled?

Private surgery provides a different scheduling pathway from the public health-care system, but there is no single timeline that applies to every patient.

Timing can depend on:

• consultation availability;
• medical assessment;
• review of imaging;
• additional investigations when necessary;
• preoperative medical clearance;
• surgeon availability; and
• surgical-facility capacity.

The clinic can provide current scheduling information after the patient's case has been reviewed.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hip Replacement Wait Times in Canada

What is the wait time for a hip replacement in Canada?

There is no single national wait that applies to every patient. Hip replacement wait times vary significantly by province, hospital, surgeon and clinical priority. Canada's benchmark is surgery within 26 weeks, or 182 days, after the patient is ready to be treated.

What is Canada's benchmark for hip replacement surgery?

The pan-Canadian benchmark for planned total hip replacement is 26 weeks, or 182 days, from the date the patient is ready to be treated.

Does the 26-week benchmark include the wait to see an orthopedic surgeon?

No. The CIHI surgical benchmark generally begins after the patient and appropriate physician have agreed to proceed with hip replacement and the patient is ready for treatment. The earlier wait for referral, imaging and orthopedic consultation is separate.

Why can my wait be longer than the provincial median?

Published medians describe groups of completed surgeries. An individual's wait may be affected by surgeon availability, hospital capacity, region, medical priority, procedure complexity and other factors.

Can Canadians have private hip replacement surgery?

Private orthopedic treatment options exist in Canada, although provincial rules, coverage and reimbursement arrangements can differ. Patients considering treatment outside their home province should confirm any potential provincial or private insurance coverage before making financial arrangements.

Can I travel to Montreal for private hip replacement surgery?

Patients from other parts of Canada may be evaluated for private hip replacement surgery in Montreal. A consultation is required to determine whether surgery is appropriate and to discuss imaging, medical clearance, travel, recovery and postoperative follow-up.

How much does private hip replacement surgery cost?

Costs vary between programs and according to what is included. Dr. Antoniou's private total hip replacement program currently starts at $19,800 CAD. See our complete private hip replacement cost guide for additional information.