This study has two objectives: firstly, to define and quantify the role currently played by the private sector within Québec’s healthcare system; and secondly, to analyse the performance of this sector from a comparative perspective. The main findings that emerge from the analyses are as follows. Private funding and provision of healthcare are more widespread in Canada than in comparable countries and the level of private healthcare provision is higher in Quebec than in other Canadian provinces. A review of scientific research on the impact of the development of the private healthcare sector on costs, wait times, accessibility and the quality of care suggests that it is difficult to establish that the private sector is more efficient, of higher quality or less costly than the public sector. By contrast, the expansion of the private sector entails significant risks, including longer wait times in the public system, increased costs and reduced accessibility and equity. The authors conclude by outlining a series of potential solutions aimed at reducing the private provision and financing of healthcare services while preserving Quebec’s public healthcare model.