Quebec Physicians Recruited to New Brunswick Health-Care System Amid Policy Shifts

Since October 2025, New Brunswick has seen a marked increase in the number of Quebec physicians seeking licences to practise in the province, following changes to physician compensation policies in Quebec. According to the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New Brunswick, 47 licences were granted to Quebec physicians between October 2025 and June 2026, from a total of 156 applications received during that period.

Of those physicians granted licences, 19 were recruited by the Vitalité Health Network. The Horizon Health Network did not provide a specific number of Quebec physician recruits, with spokesperson Kris McDavid stating that its recruitment efforts are focused more broadly, both domestically and internationally, rather than being province-specific. However, College figures suggest that, outside of Vitalité, an additional 28 Quebec physicians have accepted offers to work within the New Brunswick health-care system since October.

Vitalité's director of medical recruitment and retention, Raphaël Albert, indicated that nine of the 19 physicians signed with Vitalité have already started working, with the remainder expected to arrive over the coming year. Among these recruits are five community-based family physicians, two obstetrician-gynecologists, and one anesthesiologist. Edmundston, Moncton, Bathurst, and Campbellton are among the health zones benefiting from the new additions to Vitalité’s workforce.

Albert expressed satisfaction with the recruitment from Quebec, stating that the influx of physicians will "definitely help give a better quality of care to our residents." He noted that the new recruits span a variety of specialities, including some that are traditionally difficult to fill, such as endocrinology and hemato-oncology for cancer treatment. Albert also highlighted that Quebec has consistently served as a recruitment market for Vitalité, and that the network regularly interviews candidates from that province.

A key factor supporting the integration of Quebec physicians into the New Brunswick system is the similarity between the collaborative care models used in both provinces. New Brunswick has recently adopted a group-based model for primary care delivery, which aligns with the model used in Quebec. Albert explained that this facilitates a smoother transition for Quebec-trained physicians, who are accustomed to practising in team-based settings during their medical residencies.

The timing of the recruitment wave corresponds with a period of conflict between Quebec's Coalition Avenir Québec government, led by former premier François Legault, and the province’s doctors. The dispute centred on legislative changes—specifically Bill 2, later renumbered Bill 19—that altered the compensation structure for Quebec physicians by tying a portion of their pay to collective performance targets. This policy shift led to tensions between the provincial government and both family physicians and medical specialists.

The legislative changes in Quebec are viewed by some observers as a contributing factor to the increase in physician outflows to neighbouring provinces, including New Brunswick. While the direct motivations of individual physicians have not been detailed, the timing coincides with ongoing debate and dissatisfaction regarding compensation and working conditions in Quebec.

Progressive Conservative health critic Bill Hogan welcomed the arrival of new physicians, particularly in specialities facing high demand and national shortages, such as anesthesiology. Hogan described the addition of even a single anesthesiologist to the province’s existing pool of 151 as beneficial for the health system. He characterized the recent hires and the volume of pending applications as "fantastic" and expressed optimism regarding their potential impact on health care for New Brunswickers. Hogan also voiced hopefulness about recruitment efforts at the Horizon Health Network.

The distribution of the new recruits across several health zones is expected to have localized effects, with the potential to address gaps in both primary and specialist care. The addition of family physicians, obstetrician-gynecologists, and an anesthesiologist comes at a time when health-care systems across Canada are facing staff shortages and increasing demand for medical services.

The New Brunswick Department of Health did not provide comment or additional details in response to a request from CBC News.

The broader context involves ongoing challenges in health human resources across Canada, with interprovincial recruitment serving as one potential strategy to address local shortages. New Brunswick's experience in attracting Quebec-trained physicians may reflect both the appeal of its health network structures and the impact of policy changes elsewhere that influence physician mobility.

While Horizon Health Network did not specify its recruitment numbers from Quebec, the aggregate data from the College of Physicians and Surgeons indicate that the phenomenon is not limited to a single network and that the province as a whole is benefiting from increased mobility among physicians.

The developments illustrate the interconnectedness of provincial health policy decisions and their implications for the distribution of medical professionals within Canada. The ongoing arrival of Quebec-trained physicians in New Brunswick is likely to be monitored by stakeholders in both provinces, as well as by policymakers concerned with maintaining adequate access to care.