Exodus of anesthetists raises fears of longer waiting times for surgery in Quebec

Quebec may lose a troubling number of anesthetists to the private sector or other provinces. (Pexels)

The Quebec Association of Anesthetists (AAQ) is concerned about the exodus of the perioperative medicine specialists, as some are considering practising outside Quebec or in the private sector, which would have a significant impact on waiting times for surgery.

The AAQ conducted a survey in which 397 anesthesiologists took part, about half of all Quebec doctors in the specialty.

The results, released on Thursday, show that 46 per cent of respondents said they had considered leaving the public sector, Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), to practise in the private sector.

Furthermore, nearly 28 per cent of those surveyed said they had already taken steps to practise medicine outside Quebec, whether through applications for licences in other jurisdictions or serious discussions with their families.

AAQ president Dr. Nikola Joly expressed concern about a decline in the number of anasthetists in the public health system, as this would directly result in a reduction in surgical capacity.

Around 140,000 people were awaiting surgery in Quebec at the start of 2026.

Teams are burning out

On average, an anesthetist is involved in 600 to 700 procedures per year. It’s not just for surgery -- they are also present for births to manage pain with epidurals, and also because Caesarean sections cannot be performed without an anesthetist in Quebec.

They are also in demand in radiation oncology to immobilize the patient during a procedure, or in psychiatry to administer electroconvulsive therapy.

“If we have 600 to 700 fewer procedures because an anesthetist has either taken early retirement, left the province or moved into the private sector, then the whole system is weakened – and not just the system, but colleagues too,” said Joly.

Every day, there are over a hundred anesthetists across the province on call, often on site overnight to provide emergency care to patients.

“When small teams lose a member, the on-call rotation that used to be every five days... Will become every four days. A vicious circle can set in as those who remain become exhausted,” said Joly.

Inappropriate use of operating rooms

Joly does not have precise figures on the number of anesthetists who have left the public health system, but the AAQ says it is monitoring the steps being taken to practise outside Quebec.

Last fall’s tense political climate is related to the situation, according to Joly.

The Quebec Federation of Medical Specialists (FMSQ) has still not reached an agreement with the government. Against the backdrop of these negotiations, Joly hopes to attract future colleagues “with acceptable working conditions.”

“We wish to participate in the discussions as we have solutions to improve productivity. I believe it is no longer just a question of numbers, but also of the effective use of resources, particularly in the operating theatre, where we are constantly present,” argues the AAQ president.

Joly highlights several “aberrations” in the management of operating rooms. Patients who were scheduled are sometimes cancelled due to accumulated delays, such as consent forms not being completed or the length of time taken for cleaning.

Without an appointment reminder system, staff sometimes forget to confirm the patient’s attendance for their operation the day before. The surgical team is therefore ready to operate, but without a patient.

Furthermore, the AAQ is concerned about the situation in certain regions, where the availability of anesthetists could become more precarious over the coming months, creating a risk of service shortages.

For example, in Mauricie, Centre-du-Québec, Outaouais, Montérégie or Eastern Townships, if the smaller teams “lose a member,” it creates “a downward spiral that reduces access.”

Joly points out that there is no issue regarding access to emergency surgery. However, smaller teams are becoming exhausted because they cannot be on call for 72 hours straight.

“At some point, they need to take a break for their own safety, but also for the safety of patients. And in some cases, this may mean establishing a service corridor with another hospital if the team can no longer cope with the excessive frequency of on-call duties.

The AAQ survey was conducted between March 6 and 11, 2026.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 16, 2026.