That's not correct. There are private clinics who essentially claim the costs of their services from the government as though they were an insurance company. Costs that can't be recouped in full are passed on to the consumer or insurance providers, or you can be referred to a public hospital where the same service may be provided for free.

As for waiting times, you may find yourself waiting for years but it's highly unlikely. The median time for surgery in Canada is 4 weeks.