Every day, Ontario’s 29,000 practicing physicians go to work and provide dedicated patient care. We’re solutions-oriented individuals who want to see the best-possible outcomes for our patients, without distraction. While we remain without a contract, we recently achieved binding arbitration, and look forward to reaching a fair agreement with the provincial government.

But I worry that a recent announcement by the federal government will jeopardize this progress, and chase away some of our country’s best and brightest physicians.

On July 18, federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau launched a 75-day public consultation on tax planning using private corporations. Approximately 20,500 doctors in Ontario are incorporated, supported by the Business Corporations Act. And we’re not alone; we stand with many farmers; restaurant, retail and convenience-store owners, lawyers; accountants and more. This legislation was specifically designed to support these types of small businesses, and encourage physicians, like myself, to continue opening professional practices to care for patients.

The provincial government gave doctors the ability to incorporate more than 15 years ago. Most other provinces have had the ability to incorporate for much longer. Ontario’s doctors have been able to invest in their retirement and create self-financed benefits just like other incorporated businesses and salaried workers. My fellow physicians and I have been able to run small medical businesses where we incur debt and we take financial risks. But no risk is greater than compromised patient care.

The proposed tax changes could create a 73 per cent effective tax rate on the earnings from investments held inside professional corporations. This comes in addition to eliminating income splitting. The loss of these benefits will affect physicians who are sole income-earners, on parental leave, as well as those on sick leave. It will impact doctors at all stages of their careers.

Amid this uncertainty, business planning has become impossible. Doctors don’t know if they can sign leases, purchase equipment or hire employees. We have already assumed huge debt during our education and training, and even more when we start our practices. We have no benefits, pension or sick time. If we get injured or lose our job, doctors have no employment insurance.

If implemented, these proposals will make Canada an undesirable place to practice, a reality the people of Ontario know too well. Many of our rural communities still suffer from a shortage of doctors, and if these new tax measures come into effect, doctors will simply leave the country, and new physicians will choose to practice elsewhere.

The effects will be felt throughout Canadian communities, as the proposed tax changes will impact all small corporations, including store owners, financial advisers, insurance brokers and others. Together, we form the backbone of many local economies. The government of Canada must take the time to listen to the impact these proposals will have on businesses throughout the nation.

The ability to incorporate was seen as a positive change from the Ontario government. It supported all small business owners, including doctors, by allowing us to invest in for our future and set up the benefits many other workers in Canada get to enjoy as salaried professionals.

Opening a medical practice was once attainable; doctors could focus on building a business designed to care for more patients. But, the federally proposed changes will affect how we’ve been investing in our medical corporations and — ultimately — could set the stage for a national crisis in primary care.

Cuts to doctors mean cuts to patient care. It may take months, or even years, but patients will feel the cuts inevitably, and I’m certain they’ll be painful. These proposed federal changes won’t make doctors work harder. Instead, when discouraged, we’re likely to work less, tell our children to avoid practicing medicine, retire early and leave the country.

Ontario’s doctors face grave uncertainty after this federal announcement. We cannot run medical businesses and care for patients when we have to continually look over our shoulder to see when the next round of government action is coming.

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You couldn’t run your household like that, and I certainly don’t run my doctor’s office like that. My focus remains dedicated to patient care; perhaps the government of Canada’s should, too.