As more cancer treatments are now being delivered faster in the province, BC Cancer will be ending its temporary program that was sending some patients to the U.S. for radiation therapy.

“Our priority has always been to ensure that cancer patients have timely access to life-saving treatment while we build and strengthen B.C.’s public health-care system for the long term,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “By hiring more specialists, upgrading our hospitals, and expanding innovative treatments, B.C.’s 10-Year Cancer Action Plan is working to improve wait times for radiation therapy and meet national benchmarks. Thanks to the progress we’ve made over the past two years, we can now safely wind down this temporary program and focus on getting patients the care they need in B.C.”

Since May 2023, BC Cancer has offered eligible patients the option to travel for radiation therapy treatment at two clinics in Bellingham, Wash., ensuring patients received timely access to life-saving treatment in the short term while investments were made to build B.C.’s capacity for radiation therapy in the province.

As of the end of February 2025, approximately 93% of patients in B.C. were waiting less than four weeks to start their radiation treatment – exceeding the national benchmark of 90%. This is also a 24% improvement since spring 2023, when only 69% of patients were starting treatment within four weeks.

As in-province wait times for cancer treatment have improved over the past two years, BC Cancer has seen a steady decline in the number of patients choosing to go to the U.S. for their treatment. A total of 1,107 patients have completed radiation therapy in the U.S. through the program to date. At the peak of the program, in fall 2023, there were an average of 50 patients being treated in the U.S. each week.

Based on current participation rates, it is estimated that approximately 104 patients would access the program over the coming year if it were to continue. This represents 0.6% of the 16,900 patients projected to need radiation treatment in 2025-26. However, these patients can be accommodated in B.C. without the need to travel out of country.

The Province appreciates the partnership it has had with the two U.S. clinics contracted to provide care to B.C. patients. BC Cancer’s contracts are set to expire on May 11 and May 31, 2025, and will not be renewed. Nine patients are scheduled to complete their treatment in the U.S. under the program before the end of the contracts.

The Province is expanding cancer care through B.C.’s 10-Year Cancer Action Plan to better prevent, detect and treat cancers today, and to meet growing future need for cancer care. This includes adding regional cancer centres in Nanaimo, Kamloops, Surrey and Burnaby, bringing the total number of cancer centres to 10. Existing centres are in Abbotsford, Kelowna, Prince George, Surrey, Vancouver and Victoria.

Learn More:

To learn more about B.C.’s cancer plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HLTH0012-000229

A backgrounder follows.