Canadians divided on privatization - and what it means in healthcare

With discussions involving the increased use of private-sector involvement, Canadians are at odds over how to define “privatization” of healthcare and over the issue of publicly funding surgeries at private clinics. Angus Reid found 39% of Canadians are "public health purists," which means they'd like little to no private-sector involvement in healthcare, while 28% say increasing privatization is necessary. In the middle, 33% were "curious, but hesitant" and are on the fence. This group believes the private sector could play a role in certain circumstances but has concerns over the staffing shortages in the public system and access for low-income Canadians. People in Alta. (36%) were more likely to support privatization.