The Doctor Shortage in Canada is Exacerbated by Federal Policies
Commentary
Canada is facing a severe shortage of doctors, exacerbated by recent federal government policy failures that extend beyond traditional health care issues.
To start, despite investing more in health care compared to other developed nations with universal health-care systems, Canada lags near the bottom in terms of physicians per capita. Wait times for medical care are on the rise and a growing number of Canadian adults, estimated at 6.5 million as of 2022, do not have a family doctor, a significant increase from 4.5 million in 2019, with projections suggesting it could reach 10 million in the coming years.
So, how do recent federal government failures, unrelated to health-care policy, worsen the shortage of doctors?
One factor is the national $10-per-day child-care program. By boosting demand through subsidies while constraining supply with regulatory measures, the government has led to widespread child-care shortages, preventing many Canadians, including doctors, from working.
For instance, two medical doctors, a married couple, shared their struggles with child care in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, despite finding the city a great place to live and raise a family. They highlighted the challenges of securing child care, especially as the local YMCA daycare, where they found a spot after a long wait, is closing down.
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The YMCA, holding a significant portion of licensed child-care spots in Ontario, has warned of closures due to the unsustainable nature of the government’s $10-per-day program. The control and restriction of daycare revenues while costs increase have put many facilities at risk.
If the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA shuts down, the doctors fear the implications on their practice and the difficulty of attracting more physicians to the area, given the current challenges in accessing child care.
This scenario is not unique. A director of a non-profit child care organization in Toronto also expressed concerns about the financial strain caused by the $10-per-day program, leading their centers to operate at a loss despite being fully occupied. Additionally, Liberal MPP Ted Hsu highlighted the struggles of a doctor couple in Kingston due to the lack of available child care spaces.
Moreover, the Trudeau government’s increase in capital gains taxes has put further pressure on doctors, especially those who incorporate their practices. This tax hike, intended to raise government revenue, is seen as a disincentive for doctors to work in Canada, further exacerbating the shortage of medical professionals.
Both the Canadian Medical Association and the Ontario Medical Association have voiced concerns about the impact of the capital gains tax hike on patient care and the well-being of the health-care system, emphasizing the additional strain it places on physicians.
Clearly, with detrimental federal policies like the national child care program and the capital gains tax increase hindering doctors’ ability to practice in Canada, the existing shortage of physicians will worsen at an accelerated pace.
Matthew Lau is an adjunct scholar with the Fraser Institute.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
