17.41°C Vancouver

Apr 6, 2023 6:28 PM - The Canadian Press

Supreme Court of Canada won't hear appeal involving private health care

Share On
supreme-court-of-canada-wont-hear-appeal-involving-private-health-care
Two Vancouver private health facilities and four patients argued that provisions of the Medicare Protection Act violate constitutional rights due to long waits for care in B.C.'s publicly funded system.

The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear a challenge of a British Columbia law intended to preserve public health care through measures against extra-billing and certain private insurance.

Two Vancouver private health facilities and four patients argued that provisions of the Medicare Protection Act violate constitutional rights due to long waits for care in B.C.'s publicly funded system.

They said this amounted to a breach of the patients' life, liberty and security of the person under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Three years ago, the Supreme Court of British Columbia dismissed the constitutional challenge.

Justice John Steeves said while long waits for care might increase the risk to some patients, the provisions were justified by the overall objective of supporting a system in which access to health care is based on need, not the ability to pay.

The B.C. Court of Appeal upheld the decision last year, prompting the parties to take their case to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Latest news

surreys-27-5-million-bear-creek-stadium-opens
CanadaJul 09, 2025

Surrey’s $27.5-million Bear Creek Stadium opens

The $27.5-million Bear Creek Stadium in Surrey has officially opened. It has a seating capacity of 2,200. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said in a press release that once it receives Class 2 facility certification, Bear Creek Stadium will be able to host high-profile events such as the World Athletics Continental Tour and Challenger Series. The mayor said the stadium will attract other groups to host games there. “We’ve already had some people make inquiries,” she said. Locke said it will be a huge benefit to the city. Surrey will also have a 10,000-seat stadium, with construction expect
alberta-has-highest-measles-cases-per-capita-in-north-america-as-summer-travel-gets-underway
AlbertaJul 09, 2025

Alberta has highest measles cases per capita in North America as summer travel gets underway

Alberta has the most measles cases in North America on a per-capita basis, worrying experts who say summer events could push case counts even higher. The province's former chief medical officer of health Dr.Mark Joffe says that's twice the rate of confirmed cases in Ontario. Ontario has been deemed Canada's epicentre of the outbreak in absolute case numbers, reporting 1,910 confirmed infections since its outbreak began in October, but with a population three times the size as Alberta. Alberta reported yesterday that 1,230 people have been infected with the highly contagious disea
CanadaJul 09, 2025

One of two student pilots killed in Manitoba crash was from India: consulate office

One of two student pilots killed in a mid-air crash south of Steinbach, Man., has been identified as a man from India. The consulate general of India in Toronto, in a social media post, identifies the man as Sreehari Sukesh. The consulate office says it's in contact with the man's family, the pilot training school and local police. The crash happened Tuesday morning about 400 metres from a runway used by Harv's Air pilot school. Adam Penner, president of the company, has said the two pilots were in small single-engine Cessna planes and appeared to try to land at the same time.
fraud-awareness-campaign-highlights-how-to-spot-common-scams
BCJul 09, 2025

Fraud awareness campaign highlights how to spot common scams

Richmond RCMP has launched a new fraud awareness campaign to educate the public about investment scams, a growing threat that costs residents millions of dollars annually. At the center of the campaign is a newly released video that educates the public on how scammers operate and provides practical tips on how recognize their tactics to avoid falling victim. The video pulls from real examples, using engaging visuals and commentary from an officer on how to spot red flags. The video lists three common investment scam tactics: Scam Trick #1: They claim you’ll make big money with little or no r
coquitlam-rcmp-announce-charge-approval-for-weapon-related-offences
BCJul 09, 2025

Coquitlam RCMP announce charge approval for weapon related offences

Following a Coquitlam RCMP investigation into a 2022 stabbing incident, now 23-year-old Shane Aston Gero of Port Coquitlam, and a youth, also of Port Coquitlam have been criminally charged. The youth cannot be named as per the Youth Criminal Justice Act in order to protect their privacy. On June 4, 2022, shortly after 1:00 a.m., Coquitlam RCMP Frontline officers responded to a report of a stabbing near Central Elementary School, located at 2260 Central Avenue, Port Coquitlam. On June 25, 2025, charges of Aggravated Assault, Assault with a Weapon, and Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purp

Related News