The province’s aging demographic is contributing to longer than expected wait times for a series of medical procedures including hip and knee replacements and cataract surgeries.

Despite the fact that more surgeries and procedures are being done, Newfoundland and Labrador continues to lag behind many provinces in meeting certain benchmarks for wait times.

Anne Atkinson, who is with the Canadian Institute for Health Information, says an aging population means demand for certain surgeries or procedures is high.

“In your province you have a much higher proportion of older people,” says Atkinson. “Your population growth has been higher in the last couple of years after many years of little to no growth at all. The demand for these procedures is higher, and the rate of people reporting health care needs in Newfoundland and Labrador is much higher as well.”