How Long Does It Take to See A Psychiatrist in Canada
Published February 8th, 2024
4.5 min read
Many patients might wait six months between a referral and their psychiatry appointment.
Written by Simon Spichak
Canadians aren’t able to access the specialist healthcare they need in a timely manner. In 2022, it took about 13 weeks for an average patient to see a specialist after receiving a referral from their family doctor. For psychiatrists, these wait times can sometimes be even longer because many of these specialists are now retiring or choosing to see fewer patients.
Why does it take so long to see a psychiatrist in Canada?
In many cases, a person must first see a family doctor before being referred to a psychiatrist, adding additional time to the already tedious process. Some people might not have the time or resources to navigate the system. One in five Canadians might not have a family doctor to help them along.
As of 2019, the Canadian Medical Association reports that there are only 4893 total registered psychiatrists in the country, or about 13 psychiatrists for every 10,000 people.
Compared to other specialists like rheumatologists or neurologists, psychiatrists might see fewer patients overall, albeit more often than these other specialty clinicians. Another problem is that many of Canada’s registered psychiatrists are retiring. This may make it even harder to find a psychiatrist, especially for people living in rural or geographically isolated areas.
How long does it take to see a psychiatrist in each province?
There isn’t a lot of reported data or peer-reviewed scientific studies that detail the wait times for psychiatric care across different provinces. However, several surveys and sources suggest that it can take six months or longer than a year, depending on your location — you might have multiple psychiatrists in a big urban city but fewer nearby services in a more remote or geographically isolated part of the country.
British Columbia. Wait times in this province can exceed six months. Some patients report waiting more than a year and a half for their appointment.
Alberta. Wait times in the province range between six months to a year.
Saskatchewan. The province currently has a psychiatrist shortage, meaning patients are waiting several months to a year to receive psychiatric care.
Manitoba. The province does not publicly provide data, but reporting suggests that wait times may range between three months and a year.
Ontario. On average, many patients will wait about four months to see a psychiatrist.
Quebec. According to a report in 2021, it can take an average of eight months to receive mental health care from a psychologist or psychiatrist in Quebec.
Newfoundland and Labrador. Wait times for psychiatrists can be several years. Patients also report having trouble getting a referral to these services.
Prince Edward Island. As of 2020, the province reduced wait times for most patients to under four weeks.
New Brunswick. We could not find reliable information on psychiatric wait times within the province. However, it takes about two months on average for patients to receive mental health counselling.
Nova Scotia. Wait times for mental health care are posted online by the province. Depending on the region, they range between a few weeks to more than four months. Note that this lumps together care from psychiatrists and other mental health professionals together.
Yukon. Some people report waiting more than half a year to see a psychiatrist.
Northwest Territories. Most patients are seen within four weeks, but there is a several-month waiting period for a follow-up session.
Nunavut. It may take youth up to four months to access psychiatric care, depending on the urgency of the case.
Why we need prompt access to psychiatrists
Psychiatrists are trained medical professionals who can diagnose, provide therapy, and prescribe medications to treat different mental illnesses. Unlike psychologists or psychotherapists, they are covered by provincial insurance, making care more accessible.
However, as wait times get longer, you might not get the care that you need, causing your mental health to worsen. Some conditions like schizophrenia, depression, or bipolar disorder might require the intervention of a psychiatrist for you to see an improvement in symptoms.
How we can help
At Resolvve, we believe that mental health care requires teamwork. Our psychotherapists regularly partner with psychiatrists through Psychotherapy Matters to help clients with the psychiatric and therapeutic care they need.
After meeting and consulting with one of our therapists, we can book a collaborative appointment with a psychiatrist in three to six weeks, shortening the standard wait time. Your therapist and psychiatrist will work together through diagnosis, assessment, treatment, and other accommodations.
Set up an appointment with Resolvve today to see how we can help.
Please note that this post is written for educational purposes; it is not therapy. If you need to talk to a professional, please book a consultation with a psychotherapist through Resolvve.
