Doctors per Capita in Canada (2025 Analysis)

Canada’s health-care system relies on a strong physician workforce — yet access to family doctors remains a growing concern across provinces.
Understanding the number of doctors per capita provides key insight into where shortages exist and how this affects patient access, particularly in Alberta and Calgary.

This guide examines the most recent physician statistics from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)and Canadian Medical Association (CMA), exploring how Canada compares internationally and what communities are doing to close the gap.

1. How Many Doctors Are There in Canada?

According to CIHI’s latest report (2024), Canada has more than 97,000 practising physicians, including both family doctors and specialists.

This represents a steady increase of about 2–3% annually, yet the population has grown faster, especially in major cities like Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto.

Ratio (2024): Approximately 2.4 physicians per 1,000 Canadians — or about 240 doctors per 100,000 population.
For comparison:

• United Kingdom: 3.1 per 1,000

• Germany: 4.5 per 1,000

• Australia: 3.8 per 1,000

Canada’s physician density remains below the OECD average, contributing to wait times and regional service shortages.

2. Doctors per Capita by Province

Alberta remains near the national average, though rapid population growth in Calgary and Edmonton has led to an ongoing shortage of family doctors accepting new patients.

3. Family Doctors vs. Specialists

Canada’s medical workforce is almost evenly split, but the distribution is uneven.

• Urban centres attract most specialists (cardiology, dermatology, psychiatry).

• Rural areas depend heavily on family physicians who provide broad-scope care.

• Family doctor supply has not kept pace with demand due to retirements and limited residency spots.

In Alberta, roughly 1 in 5 residents do not currently have a regular family doctor.

4. Alberta’s Situation – Calgary and Beyond

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) lists approximately 11,000 practising doctors across the province, including:

• 5,000+ family physicians

• 6,000+ specialists

However, Calgary’s growing population (now exceeding 1.7 million) means many clinics are full, and fewer physicians are accepting new patients.

Initiatives improving access include:

• AHS Primary Care Networks (PCNs) pairing patients with clinics

• Health Care Connect matching new patients to family doctors

• Expansion of family medicine residency programs at University of Calgary

Clinics like Pinnacle Medical Centres – Trinity Hills play a key role in serving this growing population.

5. Why Doctor Availability Matters

The physician-to-population ratio directly impacts:

• Wait times for appointments and referrals

• Emergency department pressure

• Continuity of care and chronic disease management

• Preventive screenings (Pap tests, mammograms, vaccinations)

When there are fewer family doctors per capita, patients often rely on walk-in clinics or urgent care, which can fragment care and increase system costs.

6. Factors Influencing Canada’s Doctor Supply

Several issues contribute to the imbalance between doctor numbers and patient needs:

1. Medical School Capacity

• Canadian medical schools produce ~3,000 MD graduates per year.

• Training capacity is limited by teaching hospital and residency placements.

2. Physician Retirement

• Many doctors retire earlier than previous generations, often between ages 55–60.

3. International Medical Graduates (IMGs)

• Canada welcomes hundreds of qualified IMGs annually, but licensing can take years.

• Alberta’s Practice Readiness Assessment aims to integrate more IMGs into service faster.

4. Administrative Burden

• Paperwork and billing regulations reduce time for patient care.

• Physicians increasingly call for team-based care models to improve efficiency.

7. Doctors per Capita – Calgary vs. Other Cities

Despite strong numbers overall, Calgary continues to face shortages in family medicine, women’s health, and mental health — areas where family physicians like Dr. Helen Dion provide much-needed capacity.

8. Efforts to Improve Access to Family Doctors

Federal and provincial initiatives include:

• Increased medical school seats (expansion planned 2025–2028)

• Recruitment incentives for rural and underserved areas

• Integration of nurse practitioners and pharmacists in team-based care

• Digital health and telemedicine to support remote follow-ups

Calgary’s primary-care ecosystem — including community clinics, urgent-care centres, and hybrid telehealth options— continues to evolve to meet demand.

9. The Role of Family Physicians

Family doctors remain the backbone of Canada’s health system, coordinating care and managing prevention for most chronic diseases.

Physicians like Dr. Helen Dion, practising at Pinnacle Medical Centres – Trinity Hills, demonstrate how integrated, patient-focused family medicine can improve local access.
By combining in-person and virtual appointments, her approach supports Calgary residents who might otherwise struggle to find a consistent provider.

10. Looking Ahead – The Future of Physician Access in Canada

Canada’s medical landscape is shifting toward:

• Expanding team-based primary care

• Accelerating licensure for qualified IMGs

• Investing in digital and AI tools to reduce administrative work

• Balancing urban vs. rural distribution of physicians

Experts agree that achieving sustainable doctor-to-patient ratios requires not only training more doctors, but also optimizing how care is delivered.

Summary – Doctors per Capita in Canada

• Canada: ~240 doctors per 100,000 residents (2025 est.)

• Alberta: ~237 doctors per 100,000, with urban concentration in Calgary

• Ongoing challenges: population growth, physician retirements, and access inequity

Despite steady increases in physician numbers, many Canadians still lack a regular family doctor. Strengthening family medicine capacity — through leadership from physicians like Dr. Helen Dion — is key to building a resilient, accessible health system across Alberta and beyond.

This article provides general health-system data and does not replace official statistics or professional medical advice.