Alberta

You’d think with Alberta’s big money Oil and Gas industry they would be throwing cash at their doctors. But astonishingly they came in at 9th place (out of 13) in our rankings. Find out why below.

Overview

Alberta

Before 2019, Alberta was known nationally and even internationally for having a stellar medical system, particularly its primary care system. It leveraged its resources to invest in high cost-saving initiatives – like team-based Primary Care Networks and IT solutions like Netcare. These types of systems have saved the taxpayers lots of money in the long run!

Though Alberta was once the place to be as a family doctor, it has now degraded its family doctors politically, made massive and sustained cuts to family doctor pay (to the tune of 30%) and it has dragged its heels on implementing new competitive pay. Alberta had also dropped paying for continuing medical education for physicians for several years, dropped its retention bonus, and currently pays about 1/3 of what several other provinces pay for a maternity/paternity stipend. 

Beautiful mountains, rolling prairies, and more favourable taxation fall in Alberta’s ‘pro’ category, but, as you can see by it’s ranking, it has fallen way behind. Alberta now sits on the bottom of Canada’s pay heap. It is no longer competitive. Combined with ongoing contempt from elected officials, when it comes to family medicine, Alberta is very much NOT open for business.

per hr pay (avg is $68)
th
place out of 13
$
RRSP MATCHING
$
RETENTION
overall rank 31%

Alberta’s Update

Though our premier and health minister love getting in front of a podium to tell voters they are ‘refocusing’ the Alberta health care system, their focus and motivation to finalize a new, more up-to-date payment model is anything but laser-sharp.


Stay tuned for a re-analysis of where Alberta lands once the actual details and numbers come out about the PCPCM (Primary Care Physician Compensation Model). So far, our sneak peak into the model makes us nervous. The devil, as they say, is in the details, and so far, there is a lot more devil than there are clear details in Alberta’s new payment plan. 

Red and Green Flags

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly?

We pulled out our magnifying glass and compared each of the nitty-gritty details between provinces and territories when it comes to compensation packages and lifestyles for Family Physicians and their families. Check out the red and green flags below.

Specialist Access

Better than average access to specialists

Government Attitude

Government attitude towards family doctors, significant instability in the health care system

Slow to Change

Heel dragging on implementing a new model

Decrease on Incentives

Loss of many big ticket fees and perks that once had AB at the top (including retention benefits, complex disease payments)

Enact Change

Take Action!

Frustrated and worried? Take action now! Grab your elected official’s email from the link below and copy and paste our form letter — or craft your own message! If information is the first step, the second step is to GET LOUD! Share this website and spread the word!

Alberta

Who’s My MLA – Elections Alberta

Copy and Paste this Letter to your Elected Official

Subject: Fix the Family Doctor Crisis

Family doctors are the backbone of Canada’s health care system, yet they’re being undervalued and underpaid. This outdated pay structure is driving doctors out of provinces, out of practice, or out of the country—leaving communities without the care they desperately need.

We need action now:

Pay Fairly: Ensure family physicians are compensated at competitive national levels.

Support More Than Pay: Provide benefits, reduce administrative burdens, and fairly compensate for on-call work.

Get Transparent: Publish clear payment data to hold the system accountable.

The longer we wait, the worse the crisis becomes. Fair compensation isn’t just about attracting talent—it’s about showing the doctors who care for us that we care about them. Let’s stop the brain drain and keep our health care system strong.
I urge you to prioritize this issue now.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

references

Don’t Take Our Word for it!

Brain Drain 2.0 is dedicated to presenting up-to-date, factual information on family physician pay across Canada. Here are the links we’ve used so you can do your own research.

Alberta

Payment Information
Fee Navigator
AMA Benefits/Incentives