Immigration officials debated calling Canada’s healthcare “free” in newcomer ad
Internal emails reveal Canada’s immigration department was told to stop calling Canadian healthcare “free” when promoting it to foreigners, after a controversial ad did just that.
Internal emails reveal Canada’s immigration department was told to stop calling Canadian healthcare “free” when promoting it to foreigners, after a controversial ad did just that.
As first reported by the Blacklocks Reporter, a response to an access to information has shown that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s staff were directed to avoid using the word “free” when discussing Canada’s universal healthcare system.
The IRCC shared an advertisement on X for foreigners on October 13, which sparked widespread controversy. Critics called the move tone-deaf, as it promotes Canada’s universal healthcare system to immigrants while the system faces long wait times, is understaffed, and is often overwhelmed.
Documents show that as early as April, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) staff were directed to avoid promoting Canada’s universal healthcare system using the word “free” due to “sensitivities around promoting that newcomer services are ‘free.’”
“Marketing removed that word from their ads as they’re too general population public-facing,” an email from Lindsay Tessier to her IRCC colleagues shows. “I see it is still the title of this webpage, though, in case you want to work with the web to adjust here as well: Find free newcomer services near you.”
Conservatives have criticized the federal government for advertising “free” taxpayer-funded services to newcomers while Canada’s healthcare system faces strain. Conservative health critic Dan Mazier highlighted that 6.5 million Canadians lack access to a family doctor.
Just days after the ad was posted on X linking to a page informing immigrants how they can access “free service,” The Fraser Institute released an annual study on Canada’s healthcare, and the results were grim.
A 2025 report found Canada ranked 28th among 29 high-income countries with universal healthcare. Despite being one of the largest spenders, Canada ranked last for timely access to elective surgeries and specialist appointments, 26th in physicians per 1,000 people and 25th in hospital bed access.
A Fraser Institute report titled “Waiting Your Turn”reported that Canada’s medical wait times reached an all-time low in 2024, with the median wait time between referral and specialist consultation hitting 30 weeks.
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