Cambie Surgeries Corporation et al v. Medical Services Commission et al. was a constitutional challenge taking place in British Columbia to bring choice and compassion to Canada’s healthcare system. The Canadian Constitution Foundation supported Dr. Brian Day and the Cambie Surgery Centre in their case challenging restrictions in BC’s Medicare Protection Act that prevented Canadians from getting better access to care.
If we had won that case it may have finally kick started a process of rethinking and rebuilding healthcare in Canada. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear the case without giving reasons why, and left important legal questions about Canadian rights unanswered.
Now, the BC government is demanding that the CCF and its partners pay $1.7 million dollars to cover some of the legal bills they racked up fighting against Canadians’ rights. To put that amount into perspective, the Canadian Constitution Foundation spent less than $2.1 million on all of our work (including ALL of our cases, special projects and events) in the last fiscal year.
The BC government still wants to punish the CCF and its supporters for engaging in obviously public interest litigation. If the BC government gets their way, it will discourage all civil society groups from standing up for your rights and chill attempts to challenge government overreach through all types of Charter litigation.
With your help we can stop this attack on public interest litigation and get back to fighting for your rights. Donations to fight this costs claim can be made here.
Cambie costs case (Healthcare freedom)

CCF Launch: April 12, 2023
Jurisdiction:
Status: Ongoing
Next Key Date: Awaiting decision.
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