Chapter News: May 2026
That’s it! The Soignons la tech recommendations are published
It is possible, on the front line, to develop more reliable, more humane technologies that are better adapted to real‑world practice, provided they are designed with clinicians and patients, as true co‑architects of the solutions. We invite you to consult the Soignons la tech report without further delay!
Discover at the same time the practical tools developed through a co‑creation process involving family physicians and stakeholders from the field. These include, for example, a blueprint—a detailed plan—that identifies real‑world irritants and concrete solutions to implement, as well as an ideal care‑pathway scenario.
The Soignons la tech project, initiated by the QCFP Working Group on Administrative Burden Reduction, is led by Dr. Élise Boulanger and Dr. Neb Kovacina, Dr. Frantz‑Daniel LaFortune, and Dr. Samuel Gareau‑Lajoie. We invite you to appreciate all the work accomplished and to share it within your networks!
Choisir avec pertinence, soigner avec sens – QCFP Day 2026, on June 5
Dr. René Wittmer, family physician and Chair of the Scientific Committee for QCFP Day 2026
How can we explain that an intervention, a medication, or a diagnostic label is unnecessary—and may even be harmful? Dialogue with patients will be a central theme at QCFP Day 2026, Choisir avec pertinence, soigner avec sens (Choosing wisely, caring with purpose).
You will have the opportunity, among others, to participate in two sessions (in French) on this topic:
- When expectations do not align with science: Transforming the dialogue – Dr. Géraldine Lachance‑Fortin
- Validating suffering without applying a diagnostic label: Mission possible – Dr. Isabelle Leblanc
Thank you for sharing the event within your networks and inviting your colleagues to register!
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ACFP Road Shows: Meeting you where you are
The Alberta College of Family Physicians (ACFP) is bringing in-person continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities to communities outside the usual urban centres across Alberta through its latest program, ACFP Road Shows. Designed to offer CPD that is practical, relevant, and shaped by local primary care needs, this program has been certified for up to 1.25 Mainpro+® credits.
Don’t miss the road shows in Hinton and Bonnyville! To keep track of and register for upcoming events, visit our web page.
Celebrating World Family Doctor Day in Alberta
In the lead-up to May 19th, the ACFP will be celebrating World Family Doctor Day (WFDD) in Alberta by shining a light on the remarkable impact of family physicians and their vital role within the health care system.
WFDD is an excellent opportunity to acknowledge and thank fellow family physicians for their dedication to patient care. For all the ways you can participate in this annual event, visit the Family Docs Rock! website.
Alberta family physician volunteers needed for Student Shadowing Program
The ACFP, working alongside the Alberta Medical Association’s Sections of Family Medicine and Rural Medicine, is seeking family physicians to volunteer for the 2026 Student Shadowing Program. No matter where or how you practise in Alberta, this is a unique opportunity to demonstrate the full scope and impact of family medicine and to encourage incoming medical students to pursue this specialty.
Volunteers can choose their placement windows from June 15th to 26th and/or August 10th to 21st. Questions? Email [email protected].
Register for Improving Pain Care for Indigenous People webinar
Join the next PCN Pain Rounds session on May 27th, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (MT) to explore ways on how to improve experiences for Indigenous people accessing pain care. Presented by Dr. Tina Nash, this session will enable attendees to reflect on how the concept of two-eyed seeing can be brought into pain care practice.
BCCFP and CFPC submit joint letter on proposed scope of practice changes
The BCCFP and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) recently submitted a joint letter to the British Columbia (BC) Ministry of Health on proposed scope of practice changes under the Health Professions and Occupations Act, on behalf of over 8,000 family physicians in BC and more than 37,000 across Canada.
We support family physician-led team-based care and the professionals working to the top of their scope. But we're clear: scope expansion is not a substitute for sustainable system design. Expanding scope across multiple health care professionals does not address the underlying driver of access challenges in British Columbia.
Read our full position statement, including the five principles we’re urging the Ministry to adopt as it moves forward.
Celebrating Excellence: Meet the 2026 BCCFP Award recipients
Nominated by the people who know their work best—their patients, their peers, their communities—this year's BCCFP Award recipients represent the unique and irreplaceable role of family medicine. Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a nomination this year!
BC Family Physician of the Year: Dr. Anita Ka-Fai Wong
First Five Years of Practice Award: Dr. Mannan Wang (urban) and Dr. Jacqueline Erickson (rural)
2026 My Family Doctor Award Recipients:
- Sharmila Yang – Fraser Valley
- Miranda Du Preez – Interior
- Lindsay Hawkins – Island
- Stephan Ferriera – Northern
- Winnie Su – Vancouver
Dr. Manoo and Jean Gurjar Award:
- Daniel Budgell
- Jeffrey Ding
BCCFP R2 Resident Award
- Joban Bal
- Yonabeth Nava de Escalante
- Ricky Tsang
Each award recipient has a story worth reading: the path that brought them to family medicine, the communities they serve, and the words their patients and colleagues chose when they nominated them. We invite you to take a moment to read their profiles and learn more about the work they do every day.
Primary care access in rural, remote and Indigenous communities needs urgent action
Communities across BC continue to experience repeated emergency department closures and service interruptions, and the BCCFP is calling on the Government of BC to take targeted action.
In rural communities family physicians are the cornerstone of care, providing comprehensive services across emergency, inpatient, and community settings that urban centres take for granted. For Indigenous communities, which already face disproportionate barriers rooted in historic systemic inequities, these disruptions compound existing challenges and deepen long-standing gaps in care. And without sufficient rural family physicians anchoring BC’s primary care investments, those investments cannot reach the people who need them most.
We’re urging the province to expand rural training exposure, sustain programs like Real Time Virtual Support, and provide targeted funding to offset the overhead costs of rural and remote clinic operations. Investing in rural family physicians is not only a matter of equity – it is a matter of delivering on the promise of accessible health care for every British Columbian, regardless of postal code. Read our full statement.
