The Quebec government has unilaterally ended negotiations with the province's family doctors over a contentious piece of legislation aimed at overhauling how physicians are paid, a move medical representatives warn will deepen the healthcare crisis and push doctors to leave.
Negotiations Collapse Over Payment Reform
On Thursday, December 4, 2025, the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ) announced that the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government had terminated discussions concerning Bill 2. The bill proposes a significant revision to the remuneration model for the province's physicians. The FMOQ, which represents approximately 10,000 general practitioners, stated the government reneged on a commitment to amend the bill based on a prior agreement, despite a formal pledge from Premier François Legault just last week.
In a statement released on its Facebook page, the federation expressed profound disappointment. "This morning, the government went back on its word by refusing to amend Bill 2 to take into account an agreement we had reached," the FMOQ declared. The organization accused the government of acting unilaterally and failing to comprehend the damage already inflicted on the healthcare network.
A 'Fundamentally Bad Law' and Its Consequences
The doctors' federation has been a vocal critic of the proposed legislation, labeling it destructive. "Bill 2 is a fundamentally bad law, in the opinion of all the experts in Quebec's health-care milieu and even those outside of it," the FMOQ asserted. Despite reservations, the federation had returned to the bargaining table in good faith following a direct meeting between its president and Premier Legault.
The FMOQ now warns that the government's stubborn pursuit of the bill will have severe repercussions. "The CAQ government is failing to grasp the devastating state into which Bill 2 has plunged the health-care system," the statement reads. It predicts the legislation will accelerate the departure of family doctors to other provinces, prompt shifts in their practice patterns, or lead to early retirements.
Doctors and Patients Face an Uncertain Future
In a separate message directed at patients, the federation sought to reassure the public while acknowledging the significant challenges ahead. "We will continue to try to offer you the services of family doctors happy to practise in Quebec," the FMOQ wrote. However, it conceded that physicians are now facing a "significant challenge" due to the breakdown in talks.
The statement concluded by indicating that individual doctors will now be left to make their own decisions in light of the government's actions. This development marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the Quebec government and its medical professionals, casting further uncertainty over the future of primary care access in the province as the healthcare system continues to struggle.
