Population
Nearest PCI
Bivariate Map · PCI Access × Population Density · Canada

Who Actually Lacks Access
to a Cath Lab in Canada?

Same methodology as the U.S. map — population density x drive time to nearest PCI, using the ACC/AHA 90-minute guideline as the threshold. Centroids are population-weighted for major urban regions. In Canada, dense + beyond guideline is not empty. Orange dots = PCI centers. Hover the legend to highlight regions.

Hover any cell to highlight regions

← Dense · Population · Sparse →
>90 min30–90 min<30 min
← Drive time to PCI →

Key categories — hover to highlight

Dense + <30 min
14.1M people (37%) — Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver
Dense + 30–90 min
4.3M people (11%) — within guideline window
Dense + >90 min
1.1M people (2.8%) — this category is empty in the U.S.
Moderate + >90 min
5.5M people (14.4%) — beyond guideline
Sparse + >90 min
4.4M people (11.5%) — territories, far north
↑ Hover any legend cell or category to highlight matching regions
14.1M
Dense regions <30 min from PCI
10 regions — Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver + nearby
4.3M
Dense regions 30–90 min from PCI
15 regions — within guideline window
1.1M
Dense regions >90 min from PCI
4 regions — this category is empty in the U.S.
5.5M
Moderate regions >90 min from PCI
59 regions — 14% of Canadians beyond guideline

The Key Difference from the United States

In the U.S. bivariate map, the dark red cell — Dense + >90 min — is empty. Zero counties. In Canada it contains 1.1 million people across 4 census divisions in the Quebec City–Trois-Rivières corridor. Combined with 5.5 million in moderate-density regions beyond 90 minutes, nearly 11 million Canadians — 28.7% of the population — live beyond the guideline threshold.

Canada's PCI centers are almost entirely confined to the southern urban corridor. The green on this map hugs a thin strip along the U.S. border. Everything north relies on thrombolytics, transfer, or medevac as the primary STEMI strategy.

Data: PCI hospital locations from CIHI and provincial cardiac program directories (30 centers). Distance from population-weighted centroids (major urban CDs use known city coordinates; others use geographic centroids) via haversine formula. Drive time: miles x 1.3 / 45 mph + 15 min. Guideline threshold: 90 minutes. Population: Statistics Canada 2021 Census. Density thresholds: Canadian CD percentiles — sparse <17/sqmi, moderate 17–213/sqmi, dense >213/sqmi.

Visualization by Anish Koka MD · AnishKokaMD.Substack.com