British Columbia's government is looking for ways to stop a new for-profit private clinic that could help make the region a center for the medical industry.
The Vancouver center would charge a fee for "urgent care," a violation of the Canada Health Act, which governs the country's publicly funded health care system and bans private billing for medically necessary services. Though some private clinics for specialized care already exist, critics see the latest as an attempt to undermine the social safety net rather than stimulate new industry. The government may seek a court order or financial penalties to prevent the clinic from opening this week.