Winnipeg, MB – At its Annual General Meeting held in Winnipeg on April 25, 2025, the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) passed a pivotal motion to seek funding that will enable the organization to lead the development of a comprehensive national rural health workforce plan.
The motion underscores SRPC’s role as the national voice and expert body on rural health workforce issues. This initiative aims to create a strategic, evidence-based plan to address longstanding gaps in the recruitment, retention, and support of rural health professionals across Canada.
“Our communities are in crisis,” said Dr. Gavin Parker, President of the SRPC. “We continue to see rural and remote areas struggling with critical shortages of health workers. This motion is a decisive step toward real, actionable solutions rooted in the lived experience of rural Canadians and the physicians who serve them.”
The motion builds on recommendations from SRPC’s Human Health Resources (HHR) Committee, whose report at the AGM highlights the pressing need for a national strategy tailored specifically to the rural context.
Among its findings:
● Rural communities face disproportionate workforce shortages.
● Current health workforce planning is fragmented and overly urban-centric.
● There is a need for coordinated national leadership that prioritizes community-informed, sustainable solutions.
With this motion, the SRPC is positioning itself to lead that effort—bringing together governments, strategic partners, and rural voices to create a unified vision and implementation roadmap for a healthier, more equitable rural Canada.
About the SRPC
The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) is the national voice of Canadian rural physicians. Founded in 1992, the SRPC’s mission is excellent health care close to home for all rural Canadians.
Representing over 3,500 members from across the country, the SRPC is a voluntary professional organization dedicated to advancing rural health. Its work includes advocating for equitable health delivery systems, supporting rural physicians and communities, promoting and providing continuing medical education, facilitating rural health research, and fostering connections among those committed to rural care.
Media Contact:
Jennifer Barr
Chief Operating Officer
Society of Rural Physicians of Canada
info@srpc.ca
613-240-4849
www.srpc.ca
