Quebec family doctors voting on new deal after province backtracks on reforms

MONTREAL — Quebec family doctors have until Friday to vote on a deal that would see the provincial government back down on several controversial reforms in a new law that changes how physicians are paid.

The tentative deal would scrap performance-related penalties and a colour-coded system to assess patients’ vulnerability, and would provide an additional $435 million in the compensation package for family doctors.

The province would also abandon its goal of assigning all Quebecers to a health care provider by 2027, instead offering incentives for doctors to enrol 500,000 new patients by June 2026.

The deal would maintain changes to the method of remuneration for physicians, but it would remove the threat of heavy fines for doctors who take “concerted actions” to oppose the bill.

The Coalition Avenir Québec government passed Bill 2 in late October and has faced heavy pushback from physicians since then.

The government will amend the law if family doctors vote in favour of the new deal, and it will take effect on Feb. 28.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2025.