Huntsville staff authorized to work with local businesses for financial contributions to the new physician recruitment program
Huntsville Council authorized staff to work with local businesses regarding financial contributions to the new physician recruitment program, in the January 27, 2025, meeting.
According to the staff report, on May 27th of last year Council approved the Physician Community Supported Incentive Package, to recruit and retain new doctors in the community.
Incentives include $60,000 for maintaining an existing family practice, $70,000 for maintaining the existing practice and taking 200 existing Huntsville patients off the Algonquin Family Health Team waiting list, and $80,000 to establish a new practice.
Other incentives include a 1-year pass to Muskoka Heritage Place and Pioneer Village, and a skate/swim membership at the Summit Centre. They add, “Huntsville is eligible for the NRRI [Northern and Rural Recruitment and Retention Initiative] Provincial Grant of $107,166,” which makes doctors eligible for tax incentives.
In exchange, the Town requests that physicians commit to 5 years of service in the community.
The program also allowed for both “in-kind” and financial incentives from local businesses.
“In-kind” incentives from local businesses have included a 1-year car lease, golf and ski memberships, service and retail discounts, and restaurant vouchers.
However, staff requested authorization to work with local businesses on financial contributions for the initiative, pending conditions.
It adds, “The local businesses provide written conditions of the contribution(s) to the satisfaction of the Director of Corporate and Community Strategy.”
It continues, “Funds collected from local businesses be released in accordance with the conditions of the contribution(s).”
Councillor, Scott Morrison, explained that they have local businesses that have donated funds to the doctor’s, however, “there currently is no mechanism to collect and process the money.”
Morrison advised that staff have since set up a mechanism for processing the donations, which Council approved today.
He added that he and staff have also been working diligently on creating “swag bags and binders” for the new doctors, and they’ve recently “handed out the first batch.”
