Best communities in Canada for great health care 2019

These top places have plenty of family doctors and hospitals nearby

Toronto, Ont. (R.M. Nunes/iStock)

August 8, 2019

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There are certain things people looking for a place to live tend to research in detail, such as the quality of the local schools, access to transportation and the safety of the neighbourhood. Something it’s easy to forget about until it’s too late, however, is the quality of health care they will be able to access when they really need it.

Health care access varies significantly between cities, and the health care category in Best Communities considers a variety of metrics to help you evaluate access to this crucial public service. We examine health care wait times for various procedures at the regional and provincial level, awarding the most points to communities where residents spend the least time on waiting lists. Finding a doctor can be a challenge, so we look at how many family doctors, specialists and doctors’ offices there are per capita. Finally, we evaluate something you might be very glad you considered in the event of an emergency: Whether there’s a hospital with an emergency room within an hour’s drive.

MORE: Why these supercharged small towns are better than big cities

When you consider those metrics, the result is clear: If having plenty of family doctors and close proximity to specialized hospitals are important to you, then Toronto is an especially impressive choice.

The city has excellent hospitals, an ample amount of health care professionals, with 321 specialists per 100,000 residents, and access to specialized treatment facilities within short driving distance. It has the highest number of doctors’ offices in the country, with 3,145 to choose from.

Ontario is also the clear winner when it comes to health care wait times nationwide. And if you’re thinking about retirement, Toronto is the place to be. In fact, Toronto took the top spot in our ranking of the best communities to retire, largely thanks to its excellent health care services.

Maclean’s Best Communities in Canada ranks 415 cities across the country based on 10 categories: Wealth and economy, affordability, population growth, taxes, commute, crime, weather, access to health care, amenities and culture. For more information, please see the methodology page.

Search to filter by city or province:

Rank	City	Province	Family doctors per 100,000 residents in health region	Specialists per 100,000 residents in health region	Doctors' offices	Days on wait list for a hip replacement*	Days on wait list for a knee replacement*	Days on wait list for bypass surgery**	Days on wait list for cataract surgery**	Days on wait list for breast cancer surgery**	Days on wait list for lung cancer surgery**	Days on wait list for colorectal cancer surgery**	Days on wait list for bladder cancer surgery**	Days on wait list for radiation therapy**	Days on wait list for hip fracture repair**	Days on wait list for prostate cancer surgery**
1	Toronto	ON	195	321	3145	54	53	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
2	Hawkesbury	ON	145	151	22	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
3	Cornwall	ON	145	151	74	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
4	Pembroke	ON	145	151	21	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
5	Thunder Bay	ON	146	79	192	58	83	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
6	North Dundas	ON	145	151	10	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
7	Brockville	ON	138	132	48	86	85	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
8	Ottawa	ON	145	151	779	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
9	Carleton Place	ON	145	151	8	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
10	Kenora	ON	146	79	21	58	83	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
11	Belleville	ON	138	132	98	86	85	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
12	North Glengarry	ON	145	151	6	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
13	Kingston	ON	138	132	189	86	85	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
14	South Dundas	ON	145	151	5	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
15	Sault Ste. Marie	ON	124	78	141	64	80	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
16	Mississippi Mills	ON	145	151	6	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
17	Prince Edward County	ON	138	132	26	86	85	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
18	North Bay	ON	124	78	80	64	80	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
19	North Grenville	ON	145	151	6	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
20	Temiskaming Shores	ON	124	78	14	64	80	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
21	Greater Napanee	ON	138	132	10	86	85	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
22	Timmins	ON	124	78	40	64	80	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
23	South Glengarry	ON	145	151	2	86	70	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
24	Greater Sudbury	ON	124	78	151	64	80	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
25	Loyalist	ON	138	132	9	86	85	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
26	Quinte West	ON	138	132	21	86	85	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
27	Newmarket	ON	97	78	131	63	62	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
28	Amos	QC	151	90	16	55	64	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
29	West Nipissing	ON	124	78	10	64	80	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
30	Rideau Lakes	ON	138	132	4	86	85	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
31	Westmount	QC	127	222	78	78	94	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
32	Rouyn-Noranda	QC	151	90	41	55	64	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
33	Richmond Hill	ON	97	78	184	63	62	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
34	Pointe-Claire	QC	127	222	61	78	94	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
35	Elizabethtown-Kitley	ON	138	132	1	86	85	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
36	Val-d'Or	QC	151	90	20	55	64	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
37	Matane	QC	152	119	28	84	105	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
38	Markham	ON	97	78	238	63	62	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
39	St. Catharines	ON	102	119	201	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
40	Rivière-du-Loup	QC	152	119	40	84	105	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
41	Elliot Lake	ON	124	78	3	64	80	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
42	Sept-Îles	QC	180	80	12	56.5	57	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
43	Baie-Comeau	QC	180	80	10	56.5	57	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
44	Trois-Rivières	QC	116	92	192	60.5	78	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
45	Shawinigan	QC	116	92	67	60.5	78	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
46	Gaspé	QC	213	104	4	30	39.5	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
47	Mont-Royal	QC	127	222	25	78	94	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
48	Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine	QC	213	104	3	30	39.5	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
49	Rimouski	QC	152	119	78	84	105	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
50	Aurora	ON	97	78	31	63	62	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
51	Drummondville	QC	116	92	91	60.5	78	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
52	Victoriaville	QC	116	92	54	60.5	78	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
53	Peterborough	ON	83	66	187	73	81	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
54	Niagara Falls	ON	102	119	94	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
55	Burlington	ON	102	119	197	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
56	Hamilton	ON	102	119	569	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
57	Dorval	QC	127	222	18	78	94	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
58	Kirkland	QC	127	222	17	78	94	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
59	Brantford	ON	102	119	94	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
60	Sherbrooke	QC	131	134	183	77	104	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
61	Windsor	ON	95	65	378	71	92	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
62	New Tecumseth	ON	97	78	13	63	62	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
63	Welland	ON	102	119	42	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
64	Tecumseh	ON	95	65	38	71	92	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
65	West Lincoln	ON	102	119	10	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
66	Montréal	QC	127	222	1059	78	94	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
67	Leamington	ON	95	65	36	71	92	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
68	Whitchurch-Stouffville	ON	97	78	10	63	62	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
69	Oakville	ON	94	75	220	69	99	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
70	Grimsby	ON	102	119	17	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
71	Sarnia	ON	95	65	80	71	92	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
72	East Gwillimbury	ON	97	78	4	63	62	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
73	Fort Erie	ON	102	119	17	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
74	Cobourg	ON	83	66	20	73	81	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
75	La Tuque	QC	116	92	6	60.5	78	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
76	Lincoln	ON	102	119	13	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
77	Port Colborne	ON	102	119	9	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
78	Côte-Saint-Luc	QC	127	222	15	78	94	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
79	Adjala-Tosorontio	ON	97	78	0	63	62	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
80	Cowansville	QC	131	134	9	77	104	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
81	Dollard-Des Ormeaux	QC	127	222	19	78	94	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
82	Kawartha Lakes	ON	83	66	58	73	81	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
83	Granby	QC	131	134	35	77	104	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
84	Chatham-Kent	ON	95	65	75	71	92	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
85	Brant	ON	102	119	13	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
86	Oshawa	ON	83	66	115	73	81	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
87	Roberval	QC	138	107	25	107	112	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
88	Ajax	ON	83	66	80	73	81	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
89	Whitby	ON	83	66	81	73	81	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
90	Orillia	ON	105	66	69	109	117	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
91	Magog	QC	131	134	11	77	104	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
92	Niagara-on-the-Lake	ON	102	119	4	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
93	Pickering	ON	83	66	50	73	81	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
94	Haldimand County	ON	102	119	10	92	108	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
95	Milton	ON	94	75	63	69	99	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
96	St. Clair	ON	95	65	8	71	92	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
97	Midland	ON	105	66	34	109	117	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
98	Beaconsfield	QC	127	222	3	78	94	6	41	19	25	21	26	8	22	41
99	Collingwood	ON	105	66	44	109	117	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37
100	Uxbridge	ON	83	66	11	73	81	6	65	16	19	18	23	7	24	37

*Health region median

**Provincial median

tags:Best Communities in Canada 2019 Editor's Picks health care

Best communities in Canada for great health care 2019

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