Nearly 300,000 Ontarians walked out of emergency rooms without receiving treatment in 2024, highlighting a troubling trend in the country’s healthcare system. According to a new report from public policy think tank MEI, Ontario recorded 292,695 such instances—roughly 4.9% of the nearly six million ER visits in the province last year. While this is the lowest rate among Canadian provinces, the broader national picture is far more concerning.

Across Canada, over 1.2 million patients—or 7.8% of all emergency room visitors—left untreated. Prince Edward Island topped the list with 14.15% of patients leaving without care, followed by Manitoba (13.23%) and New Brunswick (12.85%). Overall, the number of Canadians leaving ERs untreated jumped 35.6% in just one year.

The report highlights that about half of these patients fall under the P3 category—non-life-threatening cases that still require urgent medical attention. Renaud Brossard, MEI’s VP of communications, warned that delays in treatment or avoiding care can lead to worsening conditions, creating more complex and costly health issues down the line.

MEI suggests that addressing primary care access and offering alternatives to emergency rooms could ease the pressure on hospitals. Expanding healthcare delivery to independent and alternative providers, the report argues, could prevent patients from falling through the cracks and help reduce the number of untreated cases.

As Canada grapples with growing ER wait times and healthcare bottlenecks, experts say urgent reforms are needed to ensure patients receive timely care and avoid preventable complications.