Quebec doctors are pushing back against a recent provincial law that imposes a new payment system on doctors and prohibits pressure tactics to oppose the policy.
Meanwhile, neighboring provinces are openly courting Quebec doctors for greener pastures. Here are five things to know about the ongoing battle between doctors and state governments.
How did this all begin?
In May, the Quebec government introduced legislation aimed at improving access to health care for the approximately 1.5 million Quebecers who do not have a family doctor. During his party's landslide 2018 election campaign, Premier François Legault promised all Quebecers access to a family doctor, but later admitted that was impossible. The government now says it wants all Quebecers to have access to medical professionals by the summer of 2026.
Bill 106 aimed to enroll all residents in medical clinics. It also proposes tying part of a doctor's remuneration to performance indicators such as bookings and number of surgeries, with the government initially suggesting up to 25% of a doctor's salary could be tied to these criteria. Health Minister Christian Dube said the reforms would encourage doctors to accept more patients.
How did the doctors react?
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It doesn't work. Quebec's two physician federations argued the changes would sacrifice quality in favor of quantity, potentially overwhelming doctors and causing an exodus to other provinces. Doctors accused the government of being lazy and called for the bill to be withdrawn.
This fall, as contract negotiations with the government stalled, both federations suspended teaching of medical students as a boycott. And last week, Legault said he was acting on behalf of patients and announced he would use special legislation to push through reforms and break the impasse.
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What does the special bill include?
Bill 2, introduced Friday, incorporates key principles of Bill 106, including a new payment system. But it also includes measures to end pressure tactics on doctors. Under the law, doctors could be fined up to $20,000 a day if they engage in “concerted action” such as refusing to instruct a student or leaving the state in groups of three or more.
The bill passed quickly through parliament on Friday and was adopted early Saturday after the government invoked prorogation measures to shorten debate. Opposition parties voted against it. Finally, the law ties 10 percent of a physician's compensation to performance goals.
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What was your reaction?
Doctors immediately began protesting the new law, arguing that it infringed on their personal freedoms. On Tuesday, several doctors appeared in front of parliament with black tape over their mouths. The federation of medical professionals announced Wednesday that it will file a legal challenge in Quebec Superior Court.
The state is working hard to contain the fallout. On Wednesday, Dube published an open letter defending the measure and reassuring doctors that the goal was not to cut salaries. The government also published answers to a range of questions about the bill, saying it was not trying to silence anyone and would not impose fines on doctors simply for opposing the law.
What happens next?
Ontario and New Brunswick seized the opportunity to bring in hapless doctors from Quebec. On Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford joked that doctors in Quebec should call 1-800-Doug-Ford and said he was rolling out the red carpet for doctors looking to move west. Mr. Legault called Ford's comments “totally unacceptable.”
Ontario and New Brunswick have received more than 100 license applications from Quebec doctors in recent weeks, according to figures from the provincial health care boards, but that doesn't mean all doctors will be relocated.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press