Family Medicine Residency Initiative for Communities in Ontario

Fact Sheet
February 2011

News Release: Harper Government Announces Funding to Support New Family Medicine Positions and Training Opportunities across Canada

To support Ontario's health human resources strategy and address the ongoing challenge of access to physicians in select areas, the Government of Canada will provide funding to support approximately 60 additional third year training positions in emergency medicine or enhanced skills over four years.

Emergency medicine residents will receive training in remote and rural communities with at least eight residencies dedicated to Francophone positions. Training in enhanced skills will support comprehensive family practice and focus on areas such as anaesthesia, obstetrics, palliative care, or mental health and addictions.

The Province will work with the Ontario-based Faculties of Medicine to carry out this project, which will provide selected Ontario family medicine residents with the skills needed to provide comprehensive integrated family medicine services, including those in emergency medicine, to better meet the needs of select communities.

Today's announcement encompasses a total federal investment of $39.5 million under the Pan-Canadian Health Human Resources Strategy. This strategy supports and facilitates innovation in health human resources to help bring about an adequate supply of health care providers while promoting optimal working conditions for Canada's health workforce.

• Ontario will be provided up to $11 million to support 60 additional training positions in emergency medicine or enhanced skills in collaboration with the Ontario-based Faculties of Medicine.
• Nunavut will be provided up to $4.9 million to support the creation of up to eight additional family medicine residencies in the Territory in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• In 2010, the University of Manitoba received up to $6.9 million for training 15 additional family medicine residents by expanding its Northern and Remote Family Medicine Residency Program.
• British Columbia will be provided approximately $5.9 million to support the creation of up to 20 additional residencies assigned throughout the Province in collaboration with the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Medicine.
• Newfoundland and Labrador will be provided up to $4.5 million to support up to 16 new family medicine residents in collaboration with Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• New Brunswick will be provided up to $2.8 million to support up to an additional six residencies with enhanced training in emergency and acute care in collaboration with Dalhousie University's Faculty of Medicine in Nova Scotia.
• Saskatchewan will be provided up to $3.4 million to support up to six new residencies with enhanced training in anaesthesia or surgery in collaboration with the University of Saskatchewan's College of Medicine.