Skip to main content
. 2022 Jun 30;9(3):6.

Table 1.

Economic Value of Time Saved—Baseline Scenario Pre-COVID-19 Levels of Teleconsultations

Telemedicine usage scenario (CAD, million, per year)
5 per cent 10 per cent 25 per cent 50 per cent
Panel A. GDP only
Canada 64.00 384.06 1,344.75 2,947.62
Newfoundland and Labrador 0.98 5.87 20.55 45.05
Prince Edward Island 0.18 1.10 3.84 8.42
Nova Scotia 1.29 7.74 27.11 59.43
New Brunswick 1.06 6.36 22.28 48.83
Quebec 12.75 76.53 267.95 587.33
Ontario 24.70 148.23 519.01 1,137.65
Manitoba 2.04 12.27 42.96 94.17
Saskatchewan 2.30 13.79 48.27 105.81
Alberta 9.78 58.66 205.39 450.20
British Columbia 8.56 51.37 179.87 394.27
Territories 0.32 1.90 6.65 14.57
Panel B. GDP plus value of leisure
Canada 108.83 653.03 2,286.37 5,011.03
Newfoundland and Labrador 1.66 9.98 34.94 76.58
Prince Edward Island 0.31 1.87 6.53 14.32
Nova Scotia 2.19 13.17 46.10 101.04
New Brunswick 1.80 10.82 37.88 83.02
Quebec 21.68 130.12 455.57 998.47
Ontario 42.00 252.04 882.44 1,934.04
Manitoba 3.48 20.86 73.04 160.08
Saskatchewan 3.91 23.44 82.07 179.87
Alberta 16.62 99.74 349.20 765.35
British Columbia 14.56 87.35 305.82 670.26
Territories 0.54 3.23 11.30 24.78

Notes: Table reports monetised benefits of telemedicine across different usage scenarios (5 per cent; 10 per cent; 25 per cent; 50 per cent). Estimated are the GDP value of time saved and the economic value of additional leisure time associated with a reduction of time spent visiting a primary care provider. The reported values by scenario are compared against a pre-pandemic baseline scenario of 4 per cent adoption of teleconsultations. We estimate that if the proportion of primary care consultations in Canada that are held remotely increases to 5 per cent (from a 4 per cent baseline), the value of time saved in GDP terms is CAD 64m per year. Considering the economic value of leisure as well, this increases to CAD 109m per year. An increase to 10 per cent remote consultations (from a baseline of 4 per cent) is estimated to result in an increase of Canada's GDP by CAD 384m per year. Considering additionally the economic value of leisure, this value increases to CAD 653m per year.