Signed March 12, 2026, the 2025–2029 agreement aims to strengthen the public health-care system, support physician wellbeing, and deliver measurable improvements in patient access across the province.
On March 12, 2026, the New Brunswick Medical Society (NBMS) and the Minister of Health officially signed a new four-year Physician Services Agreement, an important milestone that signals renewed momentum for New Brunswick’s health-care system. The agreement is designed to better support physicians and, most importantly, improve access to care for patients across the province.
The 2025–2029 agreement applies to all physicians working in the public health-care system. Over its four-year term, it represents an estimated $270 million investment, combining general economic increases with targeted measures intended to strengthen the system.
A key outcome is improved physician compensation and competitiveness. In the context of an ongoing health human resource shortage, closing the earnings gap with other provinces is critical for retention and recruitment. The agreement is intended to help the province catch up, and keep up, with the rest of the country, so we can attract and keep the physicians who care for New Brunswickers.
Market adjustments and competitive annual increases over each of the four years help restore specialty competitiveness. For family physicians, particularly those practising in collaborative care clinics, the agreement introduces what is positioned as one of the strongest compensation and support packages in Canada, reflecting both the complexity of primary care and the importance of team-based practice.
Importantly, the agreement is structured around measurable improvements in patient access. New compensation models are designed to reward patient attachment, timely appointments, and participation in collaborative care clinics. Monthly reporting tied to access metrics is also intended to strengthen transparency and accountability for the system’s performance.
What’s in the agreement
- A stronger focus on patient attachment
- Expanded team supports for collaborative care clinics, including medical office assistants, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, and other allied health professionals
- Specialty clinics in rural communities to reduce patient travel and bring care closer to home
- An enhanced parental leave program
- A physician wellness program
While a signed agreement is a major step, the real work now shifts to implementation. Delivering on the promise of improved access will require partnership across the system, between the NBMS, government, Regional Health Authorities, clinical leaders, and the interprofessional teams who provide care every day.
With the agreement now signed, government has begun processing retroactive payments, which members are expected to receive within the next couple months. These resource adjustments are based on actual earnings and will be issued in two installments.
Fee-For-Service Earnings
- First Installment: This payment will reflect the resource adjustment based on earnings from April 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025. Payments began to be issued in March 2026.
- Second Installment: The second payment will cover retroactive earnings from October 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. Payment will be issued by August 2026.
- All billings for the second installment must be submitted by June 30, 2026 to ensure that actual earnings can be applied to the calculation of Part Two.
Emergency Department Sessional Hours
- First Installment: This payment will reflect the resource adjustment based on earnings from April 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025. It is anticipated that this payment will occur in May 2026.
- Second Installment: The second payment will cover retroactive earnings from October 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. Payment is targeted for late summer 2026.
Medical Pay Plan
- Retroactive payment for the full year of earnings will be issued on a regular pay date in May 2026.
As of the start of the new fiscal year on April 1, 2026, augmented fee-for-service codes are now available.
This agreement reflects a year of sustained negotiation and collaboration. Much credit and appreciation are owed to the NBMS and Government of New Brunswick negotiation teams for the tremendous amount of time and work required to reach this outcome.
Jim Johnson, Communications Specialist
