After months of negotiating a controversial health care bill, the Quebec government has reached an agreement in principle with a federation representing medical specialists.
Bill 2, which was tabled last fall under former Premier Francois Legault, attempted to impose salary cuts on physicians who didn’t reach targets and was met with intense backlash from the medical community. Many doctors applied to work in different provinces or threatened to leave as dozens of family medicine clinics faced closure.
The professional union representing Quebec’s 11,000 medical specialists, the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ), announced the agreement Monday in a post on X. So did Premier Christine Fréchette.
“I’m pleased to announce that we’ve reached a tentative agreement with the FMSQ,” Fréchette wrote.
“As I’ve often said, we needed to find a solution, and fast. This agreement respects Quebecers’ ability to pay and will improve access to care for the entire population,” she wrote, adding she will allow the FMSQ leadership to review the agreement before revealing the details.
Heureuse d’annoncer la conclusion d’une entente de principe avec la @FMSQ.
Dès mon arrivée en poste la semaine dernière, j’ai rencontré @FEDuranceauCAQ et @SBelangerCAQ pour faire le point sur les discussions. Je l’ai dit souvent, il fallait trouver une solution et rapidement.…
— Christine Fréchette (@CFrechette) April 20, 2026
The FMSQ also confirmed it reached “an agreement in principle with the Quebec government” that “will be presented shortly to the relevant bodies for approval.”
MISE À JOUR SUR LA NÉGOCIATION
La FMSQ confirme être parvenue à une entente de principe avec le gouvernement du Québec pour le renouvellement de son Accord-cadre.
L’entente sera présentée prochainement aux instances pour approbation.
— FMSQ (@FMSQ) April 20, 2026
Leora Schertzer is a reporter at the Montreal Gazette who thrives on the chase. Whether it’s producing a documentary about sewage or investigating a Nazi gold scandal, it’s the novelty and adrenaline that keep her in this challenging industry. Send her tips at lschertzer@postmedia.com.
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