For Immediate Release

August 1, 2025

Ottawa, ON – As preparations for the upcoming federal budget begin, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (Royal College) emphasizes the urgent need for strategic investments in Canada’s health care system to address pressing challenges facing patients and providers alike.

In its pre-budget recommendations, the Royal College outlines a comprehensive strategy aimed at ensuring equitable access to primary and specialty care across the country, especially in rural and remote areas, as well as within Indigenous and underserved communities.

"As we reach a pivotal moment in the evolution of our health care system, it is essential that we unite our efforts and enhance our partnership with the Government of Canada to guarantee equitable access to care for all Canadians, especially those in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities,” says Royal College President Marcia Clark MD, FRCSC. "The challenges confronting our health care system demand immediate and strategic action to improve its overall efficiency and effectiveness in serving every individual.

Annually, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance invites organizations and individuals across Canada to submit recommendations for key priorities for the upcoming federal budget.  The recommendations aim to strengthen the link between advocacy efforts and the workplace realities faced by Royal College members, with the goal of alleviating pressure on the existing workforce and promoting more sustainable working conditions. This year, the three proposed recommendations to the federal government aimed at investing in essential areas to establish a more equitable health care system:

• Work collaboratively with the provinces to improve access to both primary and specialty care across Canada, which is vital for supporting rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, who often face significant barriers in accessing health care services.
• Develop an action plan that assesses the current workforce needs and the challenges faced by specialist physicians to enhance primary care as well as integrated care delivery.
• Support the integration of internationally trained physicians by investing in “top up” training and personalized learning solutions as well as a mandatory Indigenous health and cultural competency training and expanding and enhancing practice ready assessments so that more physicians in more specialties can be integrated faster into the health care system.
  

“By continuing to advocate for the integration of internationally trained physicians and prioritizing collaborative approaches, we can address disparities and build a more sustainable system for everyone," Dr. Clark explains. “Focusing on this needed integration and addressing the challenges of rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, we are fostering more inclusive and effective patient care."

With the health care system facing unprecedented stress, exacerbated by a national human resources crisis, the Royal College calls for decisive federal leadership. By prioritizing these recommendations in the forthcoming budget, the government can not only alleviate immediate access challenges but also lay the groundwork for a more equitable and sustainable health care future.

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For media enquiries:

Laura Thomas
lthomas@royalcollege.ca
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

About the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is the national professional association that pursues excellence in medical education, professional standards and building physician competence. We protect the health of Canadians by helping physicians build skills, knowledge and expertise through lifelong learning and continuing professional development. We accredit the university programs that train resident physicians for their specialty practices, and we administer the examinations that residents must pass to become certified as specialists. In collaboration with health organizations and government agencies, the Royal College also plays a role in developing sound health policy in Canada. To find out more, please visit royalcollege.ca.