Canada expands medical services amid doctor shortage

The Canadian federal government has issued a directive, effective April 1st, requiring provinces to cover the costs of services provided by nurse practitioners and pharmacists, eliminating patient fees. This move aims to address a severe nationwide doctor shortage, exacerbated by provinces like Ontario admitting only about 1,100 new medical students annually. Concurrently, Ontario's new Bill 33 prioritizes "merit-based" medical school admissions, a policy critics warn could limit opportunities for Indigenous and rural candidates, while Manitoba has yet to adopt the new federal rules, leaving patients there to pay out-of-pocket for alternative providers.