Niagara Region and Niagara Health launch joint physician recruitment partnership

Niagara Region and Niagara Health have formalized a new partnership to strengthen physician recruitment across Niagara, helping address community needs for primary and specialist care and supporting efforts to improve access to healthcare for residents.

The two organizations have developed an approach that builds on existing success in recruiting family physicians and expands those efforts to include specialists, including in emergency medicine and internal medicine to strengthen physician capacity at Niagara Health.

Central to the initiative is the addition of a jointly funded Physician Recruitment Coordinator. The role will provide administrative and program support, enabling Niagara Region Physician Recruitment Program Manager Jill Croteau to focus on developing and executing a regional strategy for specialist recruitment while continuing to maintain a strong pipeline of family physicians.

The partnership builds on the Niagara Region’s Physician Recruitment Program, established in 2001 and delivered in collaboration with all 12 Niagara municipalities, medical education partners and local clinics.

“Access to healthcare is one of the most important issues we hear about from residents across Niagara,” said Barbara Greenwood, Acting Regional Chair. “This partnership reflects our commitment to listening to our communities and taking meaningful action to help attract the physicians Niagara needs. By strengthening recruitment efforts across the region, we are helping improve access to care for residents.”

The partnership aligns recruitment efforts, improves tracking and outreach, and strengthens onboarding for new doctors by sharing tools, data and recruitment resources. Together, Niagara Region and Niagara Health aim to offer physicians a smoother path into practice and to position Niagara as a well-supported place to build a medical career.

“Recruiting physicians is a shared priority that requires coordination across the health system,” said Ron Tripp, Niagara Region Chief Administrative Officer. “By aligning our efforts with Niagara Health, we can build on Niagara’s successful recruitment foundation, better respond to community needs and create a coordinated approach that benefits residents across the region.”

The Region’s program has been recognized across Ontario for its success in attracting family physicians, including bringing 28 new doctors to Niagara in the past year. The established framework will now be leveraged to support recruitment in high-need specialty areas, particularly in hospital settings.

“Access to healthcare plays an important role in attracting and retaining talent, families and investment,” said George Spezza, Director of Economic Development at Niagara Region. “Through this partnership, we can better showcase Niagara as a community where physicians can build rewarding careers while enjoying an exceptional quality of life, strengthening both our healthcare system and our economy.”

Niagara Health has faced ongoing pressures in emergency and acute care services due to physician shortages, underscoring the need for a focused and coordinated recruitment strategy. This new partnership will work to build on the positive work of the Region’s physician recruitment efforts to include specialists for Niagara Health.

“We have long recognized the outstanding work of our partners at Niagara Region in recruiting primary care physicians,” said Lynn Guerriero, President and Chief Executive Officer at Niagara Health. “This new partnership is an important step forward, bringing our efforts together to strengthen recruitment of specialist physicians. As we continue to modernize and transform hospital care, these recruitment efforts will be critical to our success.”

“Our ability to provide timely, high-quality care depends on having the right physicians in place across our system,” said Dr. Kevin Chan, Chief of Staff and Executive Vice-President of Medical Affairs at Niagara Health. “This partnership strengthens our approach to recruiting the specialists we need most, particularly in emergency medicine and internal medicine, while continuing to support primary care in the community. It is a practical step that will help improve access and stability for patients across Niagara.”

This work supports broader efforts to improve patient access, reduce pressures on emergency departments and ensure patients receive care in the right place.

Janine Tessmer Senior Communications Specialist Niagara Region 905-401-4882 janine.tessmer@niagararegion.ca