Toronto, ON — New targeted investments to stabilize Emergency Departments and provide resources in northern Ontario will support doctors providing essential care. This funding is part of the Year 1 physician compensation investments under the 2024-2028 Physician Services Agreement (PSA) and will contribute to connecting Ontarians in need to the quality care they deserve.
The award includes improvements to physician funding for Emergency Departments and the introduction of the new Rural Emergency Medicine Coverage Investment Fund (REMCIF) and investments in recruitment and stable staffing for rural and northern Ontario by standardizing physician compensation. There are also targeted programs to ensure physician access in Kenora and Sioux Lookout.
“This is a crucial step toward stabilizing health services across the province,” said Kimberly Moran, CEO of the Ontario Medical Association. “Communities, both large and small, deserve access to timely and high-quality emergency care. This new award lays the foundation for long-term recruitment and retention strategies, while addressing urgent issues like income stabilization for early-career physicians and support for underserviced areas.”
The investment also moves forward one of the OMA’s long-standing priorities: the creation of a Northern Ontario Coordination Centre. Proximity challenges and physician vacancies have posed threats to equitable health care in northern Ontario and this investment recognizes the need to consider the unique complexity of northern communities when planning and funding health care. This initiative will bring together physician leaders to build a shared vision for the future of healthcare in the north. It will focus on key areas such as locum coverage, physician recruitment and retention, and sustainable workforce planning.
“For too long, Emergency Departments have relied on short-term, pandemic-era solutions to stay open—often depending heavily on temporary locum support from outside the community,” said OMA President Dr. Dominik Nowak. “This permanent investment will ensure physicians are supported as they provide essential care to Ontarians in need.”
Physicians have been working tirelessly to ensure Ontarians are cared for. This significant funding will ensure Ontarians in northern Ontario will have access to physician care. It also provides a permanent source of funding to ensure emergency departments remain staffed and able to care for Ontarians when they need it most.
The OMA would like to thank Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, for her continued support. As we continue to work towards ensuring Ontario has the best health-care system, we look forward to our ongoing collaboration.
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario’s 43,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario’s health-care system.
For more information, please contact:
Julia Costanzo, OMA media relations
media@oma.org or 905-580-5774