After months of tension and the looming threat of a province-wide strike, Quebec has reached a long-awaited agreement with the Federation of Resident Physicians (FMRQ), offering a welcome sigh of relief for residents and healthcare institutions alike — including those in under-served neighborhoods like Parc-Extension.
The agreement, which quietly received the nod of approval from Quebec’s Treasury Board, will cover approximately 400 resident physicians studying and training at the universities of Montreal, Laval, Sherbrooke, and McGill. It spans a seven-year period, retroactively effective from 2021 until 2028.
While the Federation itself has not yet released an official statement, government officials, including Treasury Board President Sonia LeBel, have praised the deal for striking a balance between patient care and physician welfare. LeBel stated the agreement would “improve access to care across Quebec” while addressing the working conditions of the resident doctors — many of whom are responsible for frontline hospital coverage, night shifts, and follow-up consultations.
At the heart of the dispute were demands for more humane scheduling and better remuneration. One key point of contention was the lack of rest periods: resident doctors had been advocating for a mandatory day off after seven consecutive days of work. This demand, which garnered wide support within the medical community, highlighted longstanding concerns about burnout and mental health among early-career physicians.
Late last year, the Federation had warned it was prepared to initiate strike action if negotiations stalled. In February, the Administrative Labour Tribunal issued guidelines on what essential services must be maintained should a strike proceed — a rare move that underscored the seriousness of the dispute.
The resolution comes not a moment too soon for communities like Parc-Extension, where hospital wait times and access to family doctors remain chronic issues. Many local residents rely on major university hospitals staffed by these very same resident doctors. A full-blown strike could have disrupted already fragile service delivery.
Though the details of the agreement have not been made public, insiders suggest it includes adjustments to work-hour regulations and a more gradual remuneration structure that aligns with national standards. If confirmed, it could signal a new era of respect for the resident workforce — one long treated as essential but undercompensated.
For Parc-Extension, where many new immigrants and lower-income families already face barriers in accessing healthcare, the agreement offers a glimmer of stability in a turbulent system. Community advocates have frequently raised concerns about how hospital staffing disputes disproportionately affect marginalized populations.
