Advocating for the Future of Radiology
As the national voice for radiologists in Canada, the CAR is committed to advancing medical imaging through strong advocacy and proactive government relations. Each year, the CAR submits recommendations to the Department of Finance and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance as part of the federal pre-budget consultation process.
These submissions help shape federal spending priorities to ensure medical imaging remains at the center of healthcare policy and system modernization.
2026 Pre-Budget Submission
Increasing Canada’s Medical Imaging Capacity
The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) has presented its 2026 Pre-Budget recommendations to the Department of Finance. This year’s submission calls for targeted federal co-investment across four core capacity levers to reduce diagnostic wait times, improve patient outcomes, and unlock national economic productivity.
Key Recommendations at a Glance:
- Modernizing Infrastructure & Equipment: A $2 billion, 3-year Federal-Provincial-Territorial co-investment fund to replace obsolete CT, MRI, and ultrasound equipment and cover complex site-preparation costs.
- Sustaining Health Human Resources: $5 million over five years to support Health Canada initiatives in radiology workforce planning, accelerated credential recognition (PRAs) for international professionals, and retention strategies.
- Optimizing Capacity via Clinical Decision Support (CDS): $50 million over five years to embed evidence-based CDS tools directly into provincial Electronic Medical Record (EMR) networks, operationalizing the data interoperability.
- Multiplying Throughput via Clinician-Led AI (HAIVN): Federal investment in diagnostic imaging is not just a healthcare priority—it is a vital economic imperative. Excessive diagnostic wait times currently cost Canada $64 billion annually in lost GDP and $6 billion in lost tax revenues. By acting now, Canada can unblock diagnostic backlogs, restore labor productivity, and ensure long-term health system resilience.
Federal investment in diagnostic imaging is not just a healthcare priority—it is a vital economic imperative. Excessive diagnostic wait times currently cost Canada $64 billion annually in lost GDP and $6 billion in lost tax revenues. By acting now, Canada can unblock diagnostic backlogs, restore labor productivity, and ensure long-term health system resilience.
Past Submissions
The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) is dedicated to advocating for the advancement of radiology in Canada. Each year, the CAR submits recommendations to the federal government to influence policy and funding decisions that impact medical imaging and patient care. Below are our past pre-budget submissions: