The CFPC congratulates the Liberal Party of Canada and urges action to make sure every Canadian has a family doctor

2025-04-29

(Mississauga, ON) The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) congratulates the Liberal Party of Canada on their recent election victory as well as all new and returning Members of Parliament (MPs).

We look forward to collaborating with the new government to make sure every Canadian has access to a family doctor, as over 50 per cent of Canadians identify this as one of the top priorities for fixing the health care system.

During the election campaign the CFPC was encouraged by the Liberal Party’s platform commitments to family physicians. Their pledge to reduce administrative burden, increase medical school and residency spaces, support new family practices, and ease pathways for internationally trained doctors aligns with CFPC calls to action.

As the Liberal Party moves from platform to implementation, we ask this new government to consider several key elements:

• Training expansion must be supported by infrastructure: Increasing medical school and residency seats in family medicine requires corresponding investments in community-based clinics, educators, and preceptors to guarantee high-quality training and long-term sustainability.
• There are federal forms that add to family physicians’ administrative burden: We encourage federal leadership in revamping burdensome forms that it directly controls, such as the Disability Tax Credit and CPP-Disability Benefit forms. Reducing the significant administrative burden on family physicians (whether it’s paper-based or digital) will free up significant time for patient care and improve family physician retention.
• Sustainable support for new practices. We support the pledge to invest in financial support for family doctors setting up new practices. We encourage you to make sure this support is inclusive and comprehensive to avoid favouring specific areas or expiring too quickly, compromising the retention of these practices in communities that need care.

We urge this government to pursue these efforts as part of a broader commitment to family medicine—such as fair remuneration, student loan deferrals, and expanded team-based care—to support family physicians and improve access to care for Canadians.

“We are pleased about the pledges made to ensure all Canadians can count on high quality care from a well-supported family doctor,” says CFPC President Carrie Bernard, MD, MPH, CCFP, FCFP. “We look forward to working with the newly elected government to ensure these commitments lead to tangible action bolstering the family physician workforce across Canada, improving access for patients.”

 

About the College of Family Physicians of Canada

The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) is the professional organization that represents more than 47,000 members across the country. The College establishes the standards for and accredits postgraduate family medicine training in Canada’s 17 medical schools. It reviews and certifies continuing professional development programs and materials that enable family physicians to meet certification and licensing requirements.

The CFPC provides high-quality services, supports family medicine teaching and research, and advocates on behalf of the specialty of family medicine, family physicians, and the patients they serve.
 

Contact

Winnie Wong
Director, Marketing and Communications
The College of Family Physicians of Canada
Email: [email protected]