Thousands more Manitobans are getting access to endoscopy procedures sooner, with provincial data showing record numbers of procedures being performed and significantly shorter wait times than just a few years ago.
The Manitoba government says more than 50,000 endoscopy procedures have been completed annually since 2023-24, the highest totals on record. At the same time, the wait list has dropped dramatically, falling from a pandemic-era peak of 11,476 patients in July 2022 to 1,678 patients as of July 2026.
Endoscopy procedures, including colonoscopies, are used to detect and diagnose a variety of conditions, including gastrointestinal cancers. For many men, routine colon cancer screening discussions begin around age 50, although screening may start earlier for people with a family history or other risk factors.
According to the province, median wait times for urgent procedures are now eight days. Non-urgent patients are also being seen much sooner, with median wait times dropping from 233 days in 2022 to 69 days today.
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the improvements have been driven by investments aimed at expanding capacity across Manitoba’s health-care system.
Additional procedures are now being performed at Seven Oaks Hospital, St. Boniface Hospital, Grace Hospital and Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg. Capacity has also increased through an additional procedure room in Selkirk and partnerships with clinics in Winnipeg and elsewhere in Manitoba.
The expansions at Grace Hospital and Health Sciences Centre alone have created room for approximately 1,400 additional procedures each year.
Dr. Dana Moffatt, section head of gastroenterology and medical director of endoscopy, said the province has worked for several years to reduce the lengthy wait times that developed during and after the pandemic.
Moffatt noted Manitoba’s endoscopy wait times have now returned to pre-pandemic levels, helping ensure cancers and other serious conditions can be detected and treated earlier.
The province says expanding endoscopy services is also helping reduce pressure on emergency departments by allowing patients to receive diagnostic care sooner through scheduled procedures rather than waiting for conditions to worsen.
The improvements form part of Manitoba’s Lower Wait Times Strategy, which was introduced in 2025 to improve access to care and ease strain on emergency rooms across the province.
