Photo by Curtis Galbraith.

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

New ideas to attract family doctors to Grande Prairie launched January 1

Jan 23, 2025 | 6:00 AM

A program from InvestGP to attract more family doctors to Grande Prairie launched January 1.

The Family Physician Attraction Incentive Program includes cash payments if they stay a certain amount of time plus other ways to support them and their families in settling here.

A Health Care Ambassador Program has also launched. It would see community volunteers help teach physician recruits about the city.

Mayor Jackie Clayton says while the city has attracted what she calls “a significant number” of specialists in the last year, there is still a need for family physicians.

“I think that the program is really to support some of the initial initiatives that we did in partnership with AHS, but this piece really is created to identify family physicians and really attracting them to be committed to practicing in Grande Prairie for at least three years.”

Clayton says those incentives include things like vouchers for cultural and recreational facilities.

“Family passes to facilities such as (the) Eastlink (Centre) or Storm games or to Nitehawk.”

“There are non-repayable cash payments, but there is eligibility. They need to meet the residency and practice criteria. They need to commit to at least three years in our community. It’s really for those individuals who are looking to make Grande Prairie home.”

The cash incentive of $7500 would be paid out in thirds after 30 days, one year, and two years of service.

Clayton says the city has budgeted $200,000 for all of its work to recruit health care professionals this year.

“We hear on a regular basis that people simply need doctors and so, we’ve had positive feedback from the community saying ‘Yeah, it makes sense.”

“Attracting is only part of it. Retaining them is the other part, and so, if we are integrating newcomers and new health care professionals into our community, (it’s) more likely they (will) stay longer.

Clayton says the hope for the future is the city won’t have to continue with programs like this with the Northern Alberta Medical Program training doctors in Grande Prairie. That is scheduled to start this fall.

Clayton also says recruiting programs brought 32 healthcare professionals to Grande Prairie last year. She adds about 10 per cent of the population of Grande Prairie does not have a family doctor.