Why some Canadians fly abroad for surgery

The wait time for non-emergency surgery in Canada is notoriously long. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the target wait time for a hip replacement in Canada is 26 weeks. But more than half of all patients nationwide actually wait longer. As a result, many Canadians who can afford it seek surgery in private clinics outside their province.

Now there’s a growing trend of desperate patients in need of a hip or knee replacement who go overseas for treatment. Mark Chulko, an Albertan who suffered from excruciating hip pain beginning in his mid-30s, did just that. His doctor told him that because he was so young, he should hold off on a hip replacement as long as possible. The estimated wait time was two years, but he was so limited in his movement he was considering a disability leave. He also wanted to be able to play with his young kids. So he shelled out $22,000 and flew to a clinic in Lithuania for a procedure that radically changed his life. For Maclean’s, he tells the story of how he reached that decision, his frustration with Canadian health care and why he has no regrets, despite the cost.

—Sarah Fulford, editor-in-chief

When renovator Rebekah Higgs bought her Halifax home, the roof was rotten and leaky, the foundation was crumbling and the plumbing was beginning to rust. Two years and one big reno later, it’s a cozy pink palace perfect for Rebekah, her daughter, Lennon, and their dog, Ziggy.

Canada’s banking system is a treasure trove of information—but most of the country’s banks don’t give us a way to share all that data securely. That leaves us vulnerable to scammers, writes Alexander Vronces, the executive director of Fintechs Canada. The solution? The government needs to introduce consumer-driven or “open” banking, a regulatory measure that’s already been legalized in the European Union and U.K.

The University of New Brunswick is paving the way for future graduates in kinesiology, health, and forestry and environmental management

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Will interest rates finally give it a rest? Will household debt spiral out of control? What will happen to rental projects and housing stock in cities across the country? Read our top 10 predictions for the biggest upcoming trends in housing here.

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