Quebec family doctors vote 97 per cent in favour of revised deal with government

MONTREAL — Quebec’s family doctor federation says its members have voted 97 per cent in favour of an agreement in principle with the provincial government.

The deal removes certain measures of a controversial doctor-pay law the government passed in October.

Removed are performance-related penalties and a plan that would have assigned all Quebecers to a health-care provider by 2027.

Instead, the deal offers incentives for doctors to enrol 500,000 new patients by June 2026.

As well, the new deal maintains changes to the method of remuneration for physicians, but removes the threat of heavy fines for doctors who take “concerted actions” to oppose the law.

On Thursday, Christian Dubé resigned as health minister and from the Coalition Avenir Québec government over the watered-down deal.

A government source who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly says Sonia Bélanger, the current social services minister, is expected to be sworn in later today to replace Dubé as health minister.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2025.