Belleville Manager of Development and Strategic Initiatives Karen Poste at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce presentation in the city, May 16, 2018 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
A Belleville official says the Ontario government has established new rules that discourage family physicians from staying in the province.
Belleville’s Manager of Development and Strategic Initiatives told the Ontario Chamber of Commerce session with business representatives, in the city on Wednesday, that the province “has started monkeying with the physician recruitment system, and we’re losing doctors.”
Poste says the uncertainty is causing doctors to look outside Ontario.
POSTE DOC RULES
Poste says Belleville’s recruitment program has been very successful and most doctors are staying after the required five year payback commitment.
She says it’s now getting more difficult to find doctors who want to commit to Ontario in the first place.
Poste told the session “It’s a huge challenge for Ontario and I don’t believe the provincial government has been making decisions that are supporting the attraction and retention of physicians in the province.”
The Ontario Chamber held the session in Belleville encouraging members of the local Chambers of Commerce to question the local provincial candidates on issues affecting business.
