New BrunswickNew Brunswick’s health minister says the province is a “natural choice” for Quebec physicians, who have been embroiled in a months-long labour dispute. Health minister says N.B. ‘a natural choice’ for Quebec physicians looking for work elsewhereSavannah Awde · CBC News · Posted: Oct 30, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesHealth Minister John Dornan said talks with New Brunswick doctors about remuneration have been progressing well. (Tara King-Stewart/CBC)An increasingly heated labour dispute in Quebec could be good news for New Brunswick’s physician recruitment efforts.The François Legault government has been at odds with doctors over compensation for months, and drew renewed anger this weekend as it passed a bill in the Quebec National Assembly to force a compensation agreement doctors oppose.As the conflict intensifies, New Brunswick is seeing significantly more interest from Quebec physicians.The New Brunswick College of Physicians and Surgeons said it typically receives three or four licence applications from Quebec each month.But that number rose significantly in October. WATCH | Is Quebec’s doctor dissatisfaction New Brunswick’s gain?:More Quebec doctors apply to practise in N.B. as labour conflict heats upAs a pay dispute between physicians and government rages on in Quebec, interest in New Brunswick from those neighbouring doctors is surging.As of Tuesday, 40 doctors had applied this month to practise in New Brunswick, said spokesperson Aleisha LaMorre.Vitalité Health Network also said there’s been “a recent uptick of informal expressions of interest” from doctors looking at employment with the Francophone health authority.Dr. Lise Babin, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, said the situation for doctors in Quebec has become untenable. (New Brunswick Medical Society)New Brunswick is seeing the impact of a “fracture” created by the approach Quebec’s government has taken, according to New Brunswick Medical Society president Dr. Lise Babin. “The situation in Quebec is extremely alarming,” Babin said in a statement. “The passage of Bill 2 has created an untenable situation for our colleagues.”In light of the continued health human resource shortage, the [medical society] welcomes any physicians from across the country who are interested in practising here, though it is not our intention to try to capitalize on the difficulties facing our out-of-province colleagues.” A spokesperson for Vitalité confirmed the health network has been running an advertising campaign aimed at Quebec doctors, who are holding a medical conference this week in Montreal. Premier Susan Holt said she believes it’s fair to recruit Quebec doctors amid the conflict.As one health authority targets Quebec doctors with an ad campaign, Premier Susan Holt said she believes it’s fair to recruit amid the dispute. (Tara King-Stewart/CBC)She said provinces across the country are dealing with shortages, and there’s a lot of competition for physicians. “I think that Vitalité is offering an opportunity to come here to New Brunswick, it’s for the professionals to decide if they’re interested,” Holt said, speaking with reporters in French. “We are creating conditions where health-care professionals are valued.” Like Quebec, New Brunswick has also been negotiating a remuneration agreement with physicians. Health Minister John Dornan said he’s seen a very different story unfold in New Brunswick, characterizing talks so far as progressing “extremely well.” “We will be recruiting doctors from Quebec, I imagine,” Dornan said. “They’ve had negotiations with their government that have not gone the way that some would have hoped … New Brunswick is a bilingual province. Physicians that live in Quebec, that are looking to go elsewhere, this is a natural choice.”ABOUT THE AUTHORSavannah Awde is a reporter with CBC New Brunswick. You can contact her with story ideas at savannah.awde@cbc.ca.
N.B. sees surge in interest from Quebec physicians during labour dispute
