By Dalena Reporters – Canada, 11 November 2025
A sharp surge in applications from physicians in Québec to practise in Ontario has raised alarm within healthcare circles, highlighting growing unrest in one province and opportunity in another. Between 23 October and early November, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) recorded 263 licence applications from Québec doctors — a figure more than 13 times higher than the 19 applications received from 1 June to 22 October this year.
More than half of the applicants were family physicians, while the rest included specialists in pediatrics, radiology, anaesthesiology and other fields. Of the 263, only 35 had been approved for a practice certificate at the time of reporting.
The uptick comes in the aftermath of Québec’s controversial Bill 2, passed on 25 October, which restructures physician compensation by tying it to performance targets and imposes fines of up to $500,000 per day on doctors who engage in “concerted action” against the government’s policies.
Critics argue the legislation places undue burdens on doctors by holding them accountable for outcomes over which many have little control — such as sufficient nursing staff, hospital beds, and emergency-department infrastructure. Dr Trevor Hennessey, chief of anaesthesiology at the Integrated Health and Social Services Centre in Outaouais, described the legislation as “draconian” and one reason he is considering relocating his practice to Ontario.
In Ontario, where an estimated 2.5 million residents lack a family doctor, the arrival of more applicants is being monitored closely. Meanwhile, Premier François Legault (QC) criticised his Ontario counterpart’s open invitation for Québec doctors to relocate, calling it “unacceptable” and politically tone-deaf.
The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) expressed support for physician mobility, but emphasised the need not to destabilise its own healthcare system while offering opportunities to incoming practitioners.
For Québec, the exodus threatens to deepen existing staffing shortages in its public health system — especially in rural and French-speaking regions. Long-standing issues such as physician migration out of the province, aging infrastructure and difficulty recruiting are likely to worsen unless addressed.
In Ontario, the influx presents a potential short-term relief for physician shortages, yet also raises concerns about the integration of out-of-province doctors, licensing processes, and maintaining continuity of care in underserved areas. The CPSO will need to ensure applications are rigorously assessed and that incoming physicians meet Ontario’s standards and local needs.
As Bill 2 takes effect in 2026, Québec’s health authorities face mounting pressure to retain their medical workforce and address the root causes of exit. Meanwhile, Ontario’s health system stands at a crossroads: whether to capitalise on this influx to strengthen care delivery or risk uneven service if the transition of physicians is poorly managed.
For the doctors themselves, the movement signals a desire for professional autonomy, stability and predictable remuneration — issues that transcend provincial borders. Their decision to apply for practice licences elsewhere speaks to deeper tensions within Canada’s healthcare landscape, where policy shifts in one province ripple across the entire federation.
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