5 facts about the economic impact of cancer in Canada

Financial hardship can contribute to worse health outcomes, with some people with cancer choosing to delay or forgo aspects of their treatment. Those who need to work less or leave their job due to illness, along with caregivers who need to take time off, risk losing essential health coverage and income.

Canadian Cancer Statistics: A 2024 special report on the economic impact of cancer in Canada reveals many of the considerable costs of cancer. It explores the costs paid by the healthcare system and those paid by people across Canada.

Below are some of the key findings from the report.

Health system costs are expected to reach $30.2 billion this year. These include services that are provided in hospitals and doctors’ offices, home care, complex continuing care, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and some prescription drugs.  Additionally, people with cancer and their caregivers are projected to cover20% of Canada’s total cancer costs. This amounts to a staggering $7.5 billion in 2024.

One of the countless individuals who understands the struggle of managing these rising costs is Vickie Iachetta. Vickie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. Fortunately, she was able to have surgery and chemotherapy in her hometown but needed to travel to Kelowna for her radiation treatment. Travelling was a major expense. When she had to stay in Kelowna for a month, she knew it was outside of her budget.

“This was a huge expense for us. The drive is four and a half hours by car, when the roads are good,” she explains. “We booked a hotel for the first of the three appointments, because they were just a night or two. But when I went for an extended stay during the peak summer months, the cost was significantly above what we could afford.”

Vickie also struggled to pay for the medications that she needed for treatment. While her extended health benefits covered a portion of the cost, she paid out-of-pocket for prescription pain medication, antibiotics, wound dressings and more. 

Rising out-of-pocket costs continue to be a major challenge for Canadians diagnosed with cancer. Out-of-pocket costs for people with cancer and caregivers, collectively, are expected to reach $3.7 billion in 2024. This would be 49% of all costs faced by people with cancer and their caregivers, compared to $1.3 billion for indirect costs (18%) and $2.5 billion of time costs (34%).

Kent Tarrant is one of the many people who have struggled with out-of-pocket costs, even after finding support from his family. In late 2018, he learned that his wife was pregnant and early the next year, Kent was diagnosed with stomach cancer. He began seven intensive rounds of chemotherapy. Because his local hospital in Newfoundland was not equipped to provide the type of chemotherapy he required, he travelled regularly to St. John’s for the treatment – a two-day trip by car. Luckily, Kent was able to stay with family to avoid some expenses, but he was still faced with the cost of non-generic medication that was not covered by his insurance.

“It was probably a blessing in disguise that I spent so much time in the hospital because when I was there, my drugs were covered. I remember walking into the pharmacy at one point and getting handed a bill for $500 for one week’s worth of medication. I work for a company with good insurance and even that only goes so far.”  

The costs to a person affected by cancer can accumulate very quickly. Over their lifetime, each patient is estimated to pay an average of $16,018 in out-of-pocket costs, $11,199 in costs related to time they lose receiving care and $5,560 in indirect costs.

Natalie Lipschultz and her husband understand how overwhelming finding financial support for all of the needs for a cancer treatment can be. It can worsen even further when job changes occur. She was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer and lost her job while undergoing treatment.

“I needed my benefits because of what I was going through. At the time, I was like ‘what am I going to do?’ I needed drugs that I was paying for myself privately. It was very scary. My husband was going back to school at the time, so there was just lots and lots of financial strain to afford our bills. Thankfully, we had some extended family that helped us out a little with mortgage payments and things like that. But I know not everybody has that.”

A cancer diagnosis can cause many changes to a person’s lifestyle, body and mental health. This can make the first 12 months especially difficult, as they will also be learning about the financial costs related to their treatment.

Vanessa Percoco was diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer in 2022. She had never anticipated having to pay so much money out-of-pocket when she was diagnosed with cancer. In 2023, she paid over $4,000 in prescription drug bills. She also accumulated major expenses related to her digestive ostomy, which included getting new ostomy bags every four days, physiotherapy sessions, osteopathic consultations and visits to a nutritionist.

“It was a huge financial load to carry. There were months when I wondered how I was going to pay the rent. The end of every month was a source of stress because I knew I’d have to call my dad and ask him for the money that I was short. At 31, I was still dependent on my parents.”

The related costs for cancer treatment will continue to increase an estimated 23% by 2034. For people with cancer and their caregivers, out-of-pocket costs are expected to increase to a total $4.4 billion by 2034. This rise in cost will be especially difficult for people living on fixed incomes, as Terri Hansen Gardiner highlights. She is a Métis Knowledge Keeper and cancer survivor in Saskatchewan.

“Can you imagine if you were diagnosed with cancer and you’re on a pension, or on social assistance? You’re on a fixed income. There’s no extra money for the medical trips. Everywhere we go, we have to travel. A five-minute appointment, we have to travel to Saskatoon. You know, it’s so costly - nobody can afford that with the cost of gas and the cost of groceries nowadays. I think number one is that people should be educated and get extra financial help for the people that are struggling with cancer. Some people still hitchhike to go to chemo; that’s not acceptable.”

We know there are choices that governments at all levels can make to reduce costs that weigh heavily on people in Canada. Alongside people diagnosed with cancer and the caregiver community, the Canadian Cancer Society is actively advocating to government to reduce costs for people with cancer. The initiatives include lowering cancer drug costs, a refundable caregiver tax credit, better job-protected leave and expanded supports for travel and accommodation.

Join us in calling on governments to provide more support to reduce the cost of cancer by making your voice heard.