Private MRI Near Me: Your Options in Ontario
If you're searching for a private MRI near you from Ontario, here is the honest answer: there isn't one in the province, but the nearest private clinics are closer than most people think, usually one to two hours away, and they book within days.
Why there are no private MRI clinics in Ontario
Ontario law does not allow a clinic to charge you for a medically necessary MRI, or to sell a faster spot in the public queue. So every "private MRI Toronto" or "private MRI Ottawa" search ends the same way: the public hospital wait (often 100+ days for non-urgent scans) or a private clinic outside Ontario. The one exception is full body screening MRI, which is not medically necessary and is sold privately in Ontario.
Nearest private MRI by where you live
Prices are the lowest to typical price for one body area without contrast, in Canadian dollars, from clinics in our directory.
Toronto and the GTA
Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan, Oakville, Durham
- Buffalo, NYAbout 2 hoursMRI about $689Most popular choice; several centres have Canadian-patient programsMore about this option
- Montreal or Gatineau, QC5 to 6 hours, or a short flightMRI $650 to $730Canadian clinics, Canadian requisition acceptedMore about this option
Hamilton, Niagara and Southwestern Ontario
Hamilton, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Kitchener, Cambridge, Guelph, Brantford, London
- Buffalo, NY1 to 2 hoursMRI about $689Across the Peace Bridge or Lewiston-Queenston; same-day tripMore about this option
- Michigan (Windsor-Detroit)1 to 3 hours from LondonMRI $414 to $474Often the cheapest U.S. option in the directoryMore about this option
Windsor and Essex County
Windsor, Leamington, Chatham, Sarnia
- MichiganMinutes across the bridge or tunnelMRI $414 to $474Detroit-area independent imaging centresMore about this option
Ottawa and Eastern Ontario
Ottawa, Kingston, Belleville, Cornwall, Peterborough
- Gatineau, QCAcross the river from OttawaMRI $650 to $730The easiest private MRI in the country for Ottawa residents; no border, Canadian requisitionMore about this option
- Montreal, QCAbout 2 hours from OttawaMRI $650 to $730More clinics and scanner types to choose fromMore about this option
Barrie, Simcoe, Muskoka and Northern Ontario
Barrie, Orillia, Sudbury, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay
- Buffalo, NY3 hours from BarrieMRI about $689Usually the nearest option for Simcoe CountyMore about this option
- Michigan (from Sault Ste. Marie)Across the International BridgeMRI $414 to $474Check which Michigan centres are nearest; the directory lists citiesMore about this option
What to expect
Booked in days
Private clinics typically scan within a few days to two weeks of your call, and send the report to your doctor within a few business days.
You need a requisition
Bring a requisition from your Ontario doctor. Canadian clinics accept it; most Buffalo centres do too, but confirm before you book.
You pay yourself
Expect $384 to $730 CAD for one body area. OHIP won't reimburse it, but a prescribed scan can count toward the Medical Expense Tax Credit.
See every clinic by name, price and city
The directory lists 80 private MRI locations (41 in Canada, 39 near the U.S. border) with self-pay prices, requisition rules and how to book, plus a border checklist and a referral cheat sheet for your doctor.
Get Directory Access - $29One-time fee. Not sure yet? Start with the free price guide.
Common questions
Is there a private MRI clinic near me in Ontario?
Not for a diagnostic MRI. Ontario law does not allow clinics to charge patients for a medically necessary MRI, so there are no private diagnostic MRI clinics in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton or anywhere else in the province. The nearest private options are in Quebec and across the U.S. border, often one to two hours away.
What is the closest private MRI to Toronto?
Buffalo, New York, about two hours by car. Several Buffalo-area imaging centres accept requisitions from Ontario doctors and book within days. Prices in our directory for one body area start around $689 CAD.
What is the closest private MRI to Ottawa?
Gatineau, Quebec, directly across the river. Quebec allows private MRI clinics, they accept a requisition from an Ontario doctor, and there is no border crossing. Prices for one body area in our directory start around $650 CAD.
Can I get a private MRI in Ontario at all?
Only for scans that are not medically necessary, such as a full body screening MRI, which a few Ontario clinics sell privately. For a scan your doctor ordered, your choices are the public queue or a private clinic outside Ontario.
How fast can I get a private MRI?
Usually within a few days to two weeks of calling, compared with weeks to months in the public system for non-urgent scans. You need a requisition from a doctor, which most clinics accept from any Canadian physician.
Still deciding? Check your hospital's current wait first: Ontario MRI wait times by city, and read six ways to get a public MRI faster before you spend anything.
General information, not medical, legal or tax advice. Drive times are approximate; prices come from the directory and change.