Yes, family doctors do move to remote areas. Here’s how.
Our provincial healthcare system promises universal and free access, but the distribution of general practitioners makes access to that healthcare unequal. We know that not having timely access to appropriate care can lead to severe health problems, particularly for those more vulnerable. In 1975, the Quebec government introduced incentives that aimed to influence general practitioners on their choice of where to practice. A CIRANO study (Fortin et al., 2025) reveals that the measures introduced, which tried to draw family doctors away from Montreal toward remote areas, appear to have achieved their desired outcome. This is particularly important given that people living in remote or isolated regions often have higher healthcare needs and live further from hospital centres than the general public.
