• How can UAP help me locate a practice opportunity?
• Do I have to pay income tax on the grant?
• Do I have to let you know if I move?
• What happens to my grant if I take maternity/parental leave?
• Do I need to remain in the community for the full four years?
• If I leave before the end of my agreement, do I need to return the incentive grant funds I received?
• Do I need to have hospital privileges?
• If I left before receiving the full four years of incentive grant support, can I pick up where I left off?
• If I decide the community I chose does not meet my needs, can I relocate to another community and continue receiving the incentive grant?
• Is the grant available to a physician who works part-time? What is the definition of full-time?
• Do I have to join an existing practice/clinic or can I set up a solo practice?
• Am I eligible to apply for an incentive grant if I have participated in the Free Tuition Program?
• When do I sign my incentive grant agreement?
• When can I expect to receive my incentive grant payments?
• What can I expect in the way of relocation expenses and assistance to help my spouse find employment?

How can UAP help me locate a practice opportunity?

Physicians interested in the incentive grant program are encouraged to contact UAP, or visit Underserviced Area Program section . UAP maintains a LADAU list for FPs and Specialists that may be used to explore practice opportunities. In addition, Community Development Officers (CDO), located in six communities across the province, provide assistance to communities with recruitment efforts. CDOs can be invaluable sources of information. UAP also administers a Community Visit Program that will assist you (and your spouse, if applicable) to travel to eligible communities to assess practice opportunities. Please contact UAP for more information.

Do I have to pay income tax on the grant?

Yes, incentive grants are considered to be income by Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and are therefore subject to income tax.

Do I have to let you know if I move?

Yes, it is the responsibility of the incentive grant recipients to keep the ministry informed of their change of address, while they are on the incentive grant program.

What happens to my grant if I take maternity/parental leave?

During maternity/parental leave, payments on your grant are temporarily withheld. When you return to full-time practice, the grant is re-instated.

Do I need to remain in the community for the full four years?

The grant is for a four-year term, but is renewed annually during its term. In accordance with Section 4 of the Physician Incentive Grant Agreement form, the physician may terminate his/her association with the program by giving 15 days written notice.

If I leave before the end of my agreement, do I need to return the incentive grant funds I received?

If you leave, payments are simply stopped. However, if you leave in the middle of a quarter, you will be asked to repay the money advanced to you for that part of the quarter that you have not worked. For example, if a deposit was made into your account in the amount of $2,500.00 for the period of April 1 to June 30, and you leave May 31, you will be asked to repay 1/3 of the deposit amount. You must notify UAP before you leave your practice. UAP staff will advise you of the amount owing, if any, and request that you forward a cheque in that amount within 30 days.

Do I need to have hospital privileges?

Yes, in a community that has a hospital, hospital privileges and associated on-call obligations are mandatory for the duration of the grant. If you choose to cancel your hospital privileges, your incentive grant will be discontinued. If there is no hospital in the community, but there is one located in an adjacent community, you may be required to obtain hospital privileges there, if the community wishes you to do so and has the approval of UAP for that requirement. Should the community not require hospital privileges or associated on-call obligations, this arrangement must be made and agreed upon by the community/hospital, physician and the ministry, prior to acceptance of the physician’s application.

If I left before receiving the full four years of incentive grant support, can I pick up where I left off?

Yes, if you return to practice full-time in an eligible community, you may apply for the balance of the incentive grant that you did not previously receive.

If I decide the community I chose does not meet my needs, can I relocate to another community and continue receiving the incentive grant?

Yes, if the community is designated as underserviced, and subject to prior written approval from UAP. All eligibility criteria continue to apply.

Is the grant available to a physician who works part-time? What is the definition of full-time?

No, a physician is considered full-time if he/she provides at least forty (40) hours of clinical service per week.

Do I have to join an existing practice/clinic or can I set up a solo practice?

The choice is yours, as long as your practice is located within the designated community for which the grant has been approved.

Am I eligible to apply for an incentive grant if I have participated in the Free Tuition Program?

Yes, however, your application must be received by UAP before you commence your practice.

When do I sign my incentive grant agreement?

A letter is sent to you when your application is complete and has been approved by UAP. When this letter is sent, two Physician Incentive Grant Agreement forms are enclosed and sent to you for signature along with a Confirmation of Payment Instruction form. When you have signed both copies of the agreement and completed the Confirmation of Payment Instruction form, you will return all of the documents to UAP, with a blank voided cheque for the account you wish deposits to be made to. Once the agreement forms have been signed by UAP, one original will be returned to you for your records, one original remains in your UAP file and one copy is provided to the accounts department to prepare your deposits.

When can I expect to receive my incentive grant payments?

Incentive grants are paid quarterly. The first payment (1/4 of the yearly grant amount) will be deposited into your account within two months after your signed agreement forms are received by the UAP. Subsequent payments are made at the beginning of each quarter. Towards the end of each of the first three years of incentive grant participation, the UAP will contact you to determine if you wish to apply for another year of incentive grant support.

What can I expect in the way of relocation expenses and assistance to help my spouse find employment?

There are no provisions in the UAP to provide funds for relocation expenses, or to assist in obtaining spousal employment. However, some communities may assist in securing employment for the physician’s spouse.