Left to Right: Melanie Goulet (NEOPRA Chair), Zoe Brenner (NWOPRA co-chair), Jeff Remington (OPRA Physician Lead), Jill Croteau (SOPRA and OPRA Chair), Adam Hambly (EOPRA Vice Chair), Melanie Delion (COPRA Chair and OPRA Vice Chair) Stephan Smit (NWOPRA co-chair) Andrea Loewen (OPRA Director of Advocacy), and Owen Doerksen (NWOPRA co-chair). On Teams – David Gravelle (COPRA) and Brad Van den Heuvel (SOPRA Vice Chair).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ontario’s Physician Crisis Sparks Bold Action: OPRA Leads International Recruitment and Community-Based Solutions
London, ON | May 15, 2025 – As Canada’s family doctor shortage deepens, the Ontario Physician Recruitment Alliance (OPRA) is responding with bold, community-driven action. This spring, OPRA is expanding its global reach at the second annual Physician Career Fair in Birmingham, UK on May 31, 2025, followed by participation in the AAFP Futures Conference in Kansas City on July 30, where the alliance will connect with U.S. family medicine students and residents interested in practicing in Canada.
These events are part of OPRA’s growing international recruitment strategy, designed to bring qualified physicians into Ontario communities that continue to face pressing access-to-care challenges.
Unlike many health workforce initiatives, OPRA is not funded by the province. It is sustained through the membership of its five regional divisions: Southern Ontario Physician Recruitment Alliance (SOPRA), Central Ontario Physician Recruitment Alliance (COPRA), Northwestern Ontario Physician Recruitment Alliance (NWOPRA), Northeastern Ontario Physician Recruitment Alliance (NEOPRA), and Eastern Ontario Physician Recruitment Alliance (EOPRA), along with a small group of early local sponsors. This model ensures responsiveness to real community needs while allowing for agile, grassroots-driven solutions.
Together, these five divisions represent over 70 members across Ontario, including municipal physician recruiters, hospitals, health teams, and economic development leaders working collaboratively to close the physician gap.
“This isn’t just Ontario’s issue, it’s a Canadian issue,” said Jill Croteau, Chair and Executive Director of OPRA. “What makes OPRA different is that we’re embedded in communities. We’re doing the boots-on-the-groundwork and seeing real results. But we need sustained support to keep moving forward.”
“As a family doctor, I’ve seen firsthand how the shortage affects not just patients, but entire care teams,” said Dr. Jeff Remington, OPRA’s Physician Lead. “OPRA members are creating an environment where physicians feel supported and want to stay. That’s the difference.”
To guide its next phase of growth, OPRA recently hosted its inaugural Annual General Meeting (AGM) in London, Ontario. The event brought together members from all five divisions to formalize OPRA’s provincial leadership model and define a unified path forward.
At the AGM, OPRA introduced its strategic pillars:
• Workforce intelligence through centralized candidate tracking and a provincial job board
• Coordinated provincial action across regional alliances
• Ethical, community-led recruitment practices
• System-level advocacy to influence health policy
• National and international outreach to expand Ontario’s visibility and reach
These pillars will guide OPRA’s ongoing efforts to improve access to care and ensure every community in Ontario has the tools, talent, and support to attract and retain physicians.
“We’ve proven what’s possible with limited resources and strong local leadership,” said Croteau. “With the right partners, we can scale our success and ensure every Ontario community has the care it needs.”
To learn more about OPRA or explore partnership and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.opra.ca or contact recruiters@opra.ca.
Media Contact
Jill Croteau
Chair & Executive Director, OPRA
recruiters@opra.ca
