Quebec reaches tentative agreement with medical specialists

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

The CAQ government and the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ) have reached a tentative agreement to renew the framework agreement.

The new premier, Christine Fréchette, and the FMSQ made the announcement on Monday afternoon.

“This agreement respects Quebecers’ ability to pay and will improve access to care for the entire population,” Fréchette said on social media.

The CAQ leader said she will allow “the FMSQ’s governing bodies to review the agreement before revealing its details.” The FMSQ, for its part, stated that it will present the agreement “soon ... for approval.”

This tentative agreement comes five months after the one accepted by family physicians. Under François Legault, the CAQ government granted a 14.5 per cent pay increase to family physicians, in addition to a 2.5 per cent bonus if they meet patient care targets.

The framework agreement with specialist physicians expired on March 31, 2023.

Negotiations between the government and the FMSQ had resumed “formally” at the beginning of the month following an escalation of pressure tactics.

In particular, specialists had stopped offering appointments through the Service Request Dispatch Centres platform and suspended their participation in the Digital Health Record for several weeks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 20, 2026.

Frédéric Lacroix-Couture, The Canadian Press