A new report suggests that organ transplants are on the rise in Canada, but wait times continue to cost patients their lives. The report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information says the number of transplant procedures increased by 33 per cent from 2009 to 2018. By the end of last year, more than 4,300 people were on wait lists for organ transplants. Another 223 patients died while waiting. The report says the rate of deceased organ donations has jumped by 42 per cent since 2009, while the rate of living donors has held relatively steady. The program lead for CIHI's Canadian Organ Replacement Register says the statistics show that Canada is struggling to keep pace with the needs of patients. Michael Terner says even as donations have increased, the number of people who need transplants far exceeds the number of available organs. Terner hopes medical advances will improve access to transplants across the board. But in the meantime, he urged Canadians to register as organ donors and discuss the decision with their families.