Canadian provinces measure emergency department wait times using different methodologies. Direct comparison requires understanding these differences.
This matrix shows which provinces can be directly compared. Click any cell to see detailed methodology differences.
| Alberta | British Columbia | Manitoba | Ontario | Ontario | Quebec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | ✓ | ⚠ | ✗ | ⚠ | ⚠ | ⚠ |
| British Columbia | ⚠ | ✓ | ✗ | ⚠ | ✓ | ⚠ |
| Manitoba | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ontario | ⚠ | ⚠ | ✗ | ✓ | ⚠ | ⚠ |
| Ontario | ⚠ | ✓ | ✗ | ⚠ | ✓ | ⚠ |
| Quebec | ⚠ | ⚠ | ✗ | ⚠ | ⚠ | ✓ |
Each province pair is broken down field by field so you can see exactly which ontology dimensions match and which ones invalidate direct comparison.
3 of 4 dimensions match
These sources share some ontology dimensions, but the remaining mismatches still make direct comparison unsafe without qualification.
1 of 4 dimensions match
These sources diverge on most core ontology dimensions. Ranking or treating them as equivalent would be misleading.
3 of 4 dimensions match
These sources share some ontology dimensions, but the remaining mismatches still make direct comparison unsafe without qualification.
3 of 4 dimensions match
These sources share some ontology dimensions, but the remaining mismatches still make direct comparison unsafe without qualification.
2 of 4 dimensions match
These sources share some ontology dimensions, but the remaining mismatches still make direct comparison unsafe without qualification.
1 of 4 dimensions match
These sources diverge on most core ontology dimensions. Ranking or treating them as equivalent would be misleading.
3 of 4 dimensions match
These sources share some ontology dimensions, but the remaining mismatches still make direct comparison unsafe without qualification.
4 of 4 dimensions match
These sources align on all four ontology dimensions, so direct cross-province comparison is methodologically valid.
2 of 4 dimensions match
These sources share some ontology dimensions, but the remaining mismatches still make direct comparison unsafe without qualification.
1 of 4 dimensions match
These sources diverge on most core ontology dimensions. Ranking or treating them as equivalent would be misleading.
1 of 4 dimensions match
These sources diverge on most core ontology dimensions. Ranking or treating them as equivalent would be misleading.
1 of 4 dimensions match
These sources diverge on most core ontology dimensions. Ranking or treating them as equivalent would be misleading.
3 of 4 dimensions match
These sources share some ontology dimensions, but the remaining mismatches still make direct comparison unsafe without qualification.
2 of 4 dimensions match
These sources share some ontology dimensions, but the remaining mismatches still make direct comparison unsafe without qualification.
2 of 4 dimensions match
These sources share some ontology dimensions, but the remaining mismatches still make direct comparison unsafe without qualification.
Each province has chosen different measurement approaches based on their health system priorities and data infrastructure.
Alberta Health Services
TIME_TO_PROVIDERTime until first contact with physician or healthcare provider
TRIAGEClock starts when patient completes triage assessment
PHYSICIANClock stops at first physician contact
POINT_ESTIMATEReal-time snapshot of current wait
Provincial Health Services Authority
TIME_TO_PROVIDERTime until first contact with physician or healthcare provider
TRIAGEClock starts when patient completes triage assessment
PHYSICIANClock stops at first physician contact
P9090th percentile - 9 out of 10 patients seen faster than this
Shared Health Manitoba
TIME_TO_PROVIDERTime until first contact with physician or healthcare provider
UNKNOWNStart point varies or is not standardized
FIRST_ASSESSMENTClock stops at initial clinical assessment
ALGORITHMICCalculated estimate based on current conditions
Health Quality Ontario
TIME_TO_PROVIDERTime until first contact with physician or healthcare provider
TRIAGEClock starts when patient completes triage assessment
PHYSICIANClock stops at first physician contact
MEANAverage of all wait times
Ontario Health
TIME_TO_PROVIDERTime until first contact with physician or healthcare provider
TRIAGEClock starts when patient completes triage assessment
PHYSICIANClock stops at first physician contact
P9090th percentile - 9 out of 10 patients seen faster than this
Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux
TIME_TO_PROVIDERTime until first contact with physician or healthcare provider
REGISTRATIONClock starts when patient registers at ED
PHYSICIANClock stops at first physician contact
ROLLING_AVGMoving average over recent time period
This timeline shows detected changes in how provinces calculate wait times. Our system monitors for distributional shifts that may indicate methodology updates.
For two measurements to be comparable, all four dimensions must match. Understanding these dimensions is crucial for interpreting published wait times.
The fundamental category of measurement. Different metric families answer different clinical questions.
TIME_TO_PROVIDERHow long until a patient is first assessed by a healthcare provider
TOTAL_LOSComplete duration from arrival to discharge from the ED
STRETCHER_OCCUPANCYPercentage of available stretcher beds currently occupied
A 60-minute wait in Ontario (Mean, Triage→Physician) is fundamentally different from a 60-minute wait in Quebec (Rolling Avg, Registration→Provider). Our platform automatically detects these differences and warns you when comparing incompatible measurements.
Common questions about wait time data and methodology
We're continuously improving our methodology documentation and data sources. If you have questions or feedback, we'd love to hear from you.
Submit feedback on GitHubDownload wait time data with full methodology tags for research use. All exports include our metric ontology columns to ensure proper attribution and comparability analysis.
Export wait time data with full methodology tags for research use. All exports include metric ontology columns for proper attribution.
Raw data is available for the last 30 days. For longer ranges, use aggregated data.
Suggested Citation:
Wait Time Canada. (2026). Canadian ER Wait Time Data [Data set]. https://wait-time.ca
License: CC-BY-4.0 (Attribution Required)
Now that you understand how measurements differ, browse the interactive map with confidence.
View Interactive Map