Medical specialists ratify agreement with Quebec government

A pediatrician examines a child patient in this undated file photo. (Getty Images)

The tentative agreement reached between the government of Quebec and its medical specialists has been ratified, the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ) announced Thursday evening.

The FMSQ stated on social media that 86 per cent of its members approved the agreement reached on Monday with the government.

The details of the deal have not yet been made public.

This comes four months after family physicians accepted their agreement with the government.

Under François Legault, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government granted a 14.5 per cent pay increase to family physicians, in addition to a 2.5 per cent bonus if they meet patient care targets.

The agreement with specialists had expired on March 31, 2023.

On Thursday, Premier Christine Fréchette argued that, with this agreement, “we are taking a step that no other government has taken in the past.”

“For the first time, we are introducing targets to be met in the compensation of medical specialists, particularly regarding access to appointments and surgeries,” she wrote on X.

Treasury Board President France-Élaine Duranceau described the process as “rigorous, firm and responsible.”

“We have made commitments that respect Quebecers’ ability to pay and established performance targets for specialists to better meet patient needs,” she said.

Negotiations between the government and the FMSQ had resumed “formally” at the beginning of the month following an escalation of pressure tactics.

Medical specialists had stopped offering appointments through the Centres de répartition des demandes de service platform and suspended their participation in the digital health record for several weeks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 24, 2026.