Provincial consultations on renewing Ontario’s Underserviced Area Program (UAP) ended on September 30, 2009.  The consultations sought stakeholder and public input on the ministry proposal to renew the UAP by redesigning and strengthening physician recruitment and retention programs. 

More than 200 submissions were received. This input was weighed carefully, along with other evidence and considerations.

On March 5, 2010, the Ontario government introduced two new initiatives to increase the availability of physicians in Ontario:

• The HealthForceOntario Northern and Rural Recruitment and Retention Initiative
• The HealthForceOntario Postgraduate Return of Service Program

These initiatives have been designed to help northern and our more rural communities with their unique challenges in recruiting and retaining physicians, while increasing access to physician services throughout the province.  They will replace the existing UAP physician recruitment incentives.