Quebec’s private doctors federation is mounting a legal challenge against a law that requires all new doctors to practice in the province’s public system for five years.
The Fédération des médecins en pratique privée du Québec is asking Superior Court for a stay on the measure, which they describe as unjustified and discriminatory.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
They are also asking the court to invalidate some provisions of the provincial law that came into effect in April 2025.
The law was tabled in order to address the growing number of doctors who were leaving the public system to practice privately.
It imposes hefty fines on any doctors who enter the private sector or move outside the province within the first five years of their careers.
The private doctor’s group says the law restricts patients’ access to timely care and can interrupt their ongoing therapeutic relationships with private providers.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
