Arthritis carries a $142-billion annual price tag in Canada

Arthritis costs Canada an estimated $142.4 billion annually, according to a new report from Arthritis Society Canada that measures both the economic and human impact of the country’s most common chronic disease.

The Economic and Social Burden of Arthritis in Canada Report, commissioned from the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis (CANCEA), examines the current and projected burden of arthritis from 2025 to 2055.

More than six million Canadians currently live with arthritis, a number projected to reach at least 10 million by 2055. Over the same period, the report estimates the total annual economic and social burden will climb to $222.3 billion.

The economic burden alone was estimated at $45.9 billion in 2025. Productivity losses accounted for $25.2 billion, including absenteeism, reduced effectiveness at work and early withdrawal from the workforce. Direct health-care costs contributed approximately $14.8 billion, while private disability costs added $5.9 billion.

The analysis also attempts to quantify the less visible effects of arthritis through what it calls “social value loss” – the dollar-equivalent loss of wellbeing associated with chronic pain, disability, reduced independence and participation, and lower life satisfaction.

That burden was estimated at $96.5 billion in 2025, more than twice the measured economic cost, and is projected to reach $151.1 billion annually by 2055. The report also found women experience twice the social burden associated with arthritis compared with men.

“Arthritis is an economic and social crisis, placing an enormous burden on our society,” said Trish Barbato, President and CEO of Arthritis Society Canada.

The organization is calling for greater investment in arthritis research, prevention and treatment, along with policies aimed at helping Canadians maintain independence, participate in the workforce and live with less pain as the prevalence of arthritis continues to grow.

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