Press Release
January 31, 2025
As the health ministers met in Halifax over the past few days, the federal government released the first detailed report Opens in a new window on the gaps in the health care workforce and the data lays bare the extent of the issue.
This in-depth study, conducted by Dr. Geneviève Moineau, Chief Medical Workforce Advisor, Health Canada, points to Canada’s considerable lag in workforce planning compared to its OECD peers as well as the negative impacts of this inattention:
This sobering study reinforces the Canadian Medical Association’s (CMA) long-standing advocacy on the shortage of family physicians, the challenges specific to rural care and the disparities of care for Indigenous peoples. These new figures validate the severity of the situation.
We endorse the report’s themes about modernizing education, training, and data. Resolving the physician and health provider shortage will require Canada to act more quickly, do more and leverage the expertise already available.
In doing so, we must ensure that we are not overburdening our healthcare providers. These solutions need to be implemented now and must focus on retention and recruitment of health professionals. Solutions include:
The CMA will be bringing this crucial report to provincial and territorial medical associations as well as other health system partners. We will also be calling all parties in this year’s federal election to act on this issue. Leaders can no longer look away.
This report should be the last of its kind. From now on, let’s move from studies to action so we can see real change take place.
Dr. Joss Reimer
CMA President
IHT5