The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada is calling on the federal government to make rural health care a priority in the upcoming federal budget, warning that workforce shortages and inadequate infrastructure are putting rural communities and economic development at risk.

“Canada is at a pivotal moment of economic expansion, with the federal government prioritizing ‘nation-building’ projects in the North such as the Port of Churchill Plus trade gateway, the Critical Minerals Strategy, and the development of new Energy and Trade Corridors,” the organization says in its pre-budget submission to the House of Commons Finance Committee. “These multi-billion-dollar initiatives are designed to secure Canada's sovereignty and global competitiveness.

“The success of these investments, however, is entirely dependent on the ability to attract and retain a highly skilled workforce in remote regions. Private sector investment and the success of public sector initiatives are contingent on social infrastructure — specifically, reliable primary and emergency care.”

Rural and remote areas are home to about 18% of Canadians but have only 8% of the country’s physicians, contributing to limited primary care, overwhelmed emergency departments and worsening burnout among health-care professionals, the SRPC says.

The SRPC is seeking $25 million over three years to expand its National Advanced Skills and Training Program, which has already trained 342 physicians in 187 rural communities, as well as a pan-Canadian strategy to improve recruitment, retention, training and licensing of rural health workers.

The group is also urging the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health to conduct a comprehensive study of rural health-care needs and is calling for a dedicated rural stream within the federal Health Infrastructure Fund.

SRPC argues that stronger rural health services are not only essential for health equity but also for Canada’s economy, as reliable health care is needed to attract workers and support major infrastructure, mining, energy, agriculture and trade projects in rural and remote regions. “The government must view healthcare not merely as a social transfer, but as a strategic economic enabler,” the submission says.