Five things to know about the fight between Quebec doctors and the government

Doctors in Quebec are up in arms over a recent provincial law that imposes a new payment system on physicians and prohibits them from using pressure tactics to oppose the policy.

Meanwhile, neighbouring provinces are openly courting Quebec doctors seeking greener pastures. Here are five things to know about the ongoing battle between physicians and the provincial government.

How did this start?

The Quebec government in May tabled legislation intended to improve health-care access for the roughly 1.5 million Quebecers who do not have a family doctor. Premier François Legault promised all Quebecers access to a family doctor during the 2018 election campaign that swept his party to power, though he later conceded that wouldn’t be possible. The government now says it wants every Quebecer to have access to a health professional by the summer of 2026.

Bill 106 aimed to register all residents with a health-care clinic. It also proposed tying part of doctors’ remuneration to performance indicators such as appointment and surgery numbers, with the government initially suggesting up to 25 per cent of their pay could be tied to those benchmarks. Health Minister Christian Dubé has said the reform would encourage physicians to take on more patients.

How did doctors respond?

Not well. Quebec’s two doctors federations argued the changes would sacrifice quality of care in favour of volume, and could overwhelm doctors and cause an exodus to other provinces. Physicians accused the government of painting them as lazy and called for the bill to be withdrawn.

This fall, amid stalled contract negotiations with the government, the two federations stopped teaching medical students as a boycott. Then last week, Legault announced he would use special legislation to force through the reform and break the impasse, saying he was acting on behalf of patients.

What’s in the special bill?

Bill 2, tabled on Friday, incorporates the main principles of Bill 106, including the new payment system. But it also includes measures to end physicians’ pressure tactics. According to the legislation, doctors could face fines of up to $20,000 a day if they take “concerted actions” such as deciding in groups of three or more to refuse to teach students or to leave the province.

The bill was fast-tracked through the legislature on Friday, and was adopted in the early hours of Saturday morning after the government invoked closure to cut short debate. Opposition parties voted against it. In the end, the law links 10 per cent of physicians’ remuneration to performance targets.

What has the reaction been?

Doctors immediately began protesting the new law, which they say violates their individual freedoms. Several physicians showed up in front of the legislature on Tuesday with black tape over their mouths. The federation of medical specialists said it would file a legal challenge in Quebec Superior Court on Wednesday.

The province has been scrambling to contain the fallout. On Wednesday, Dubé published an open letter defending the measures and reassuring doctors that the objective is not to cut their pay. The government has also published answers to various questions about the bill, saying it’s not trying to muzzle anyone and that doctors will not be fined simply for opposing the law.

What happens next?

Ontario and New Brunswick have seized the opportunity to attract unhappy doctors from Quebec. On Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford joked that Quebec physicians should call 1-800-Doug-Ford and said he would roll out the red carpet for doctors looking to move west. Legault said Ford’s comments were “totally unacceptable.”

According to provincial medical governing board figures, Ontario and New Brunswick have received more than 100 licence applications from Quebec doctors in recent weeks, though that doesn’t mean those doctors will all end up moving.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2025.

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