Vote NO on Oct. 29: No inflation protection without accountability

On Oct. 29, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET, the College of Family Physicians of Canada will ask members to approve tying membership fees to inflation in perpetuity. While family physicians across Canada watch their real incomes erode against frozen fee schedules, the CFPC seeks automatic cost-of-living adjustments—for an organization that currently operates without a strategic plan.An organization adriftThe CFPC acknowledges it has no comprehensive strategic plan. Their own board meeting summary from early 2025 stated they “released our current set of short-term priorities (in lieu of a comprehensive strategic plan)” and that “the next strategic plan will guide the CFPC by fall of 2027.” An organization that can’t articulate its long-term vision has no business requesting guaranteed annual increases.The inflation disconnectConsider the real-dollar impact. Using Canada’s 3.44% five-year average inflation rate, today’s $823 annual dues become $1,155 in 10 years, $1,935 in 25 years, and $3,178 at a 40-year career’s end. At 2022's 6.8% rate? Try $1,592 in 10 years, $4,411 in 25 years, and $11,944 in 40 years—plus provincial fees.Meanwhile, physician fee schedules remain frozen. If physicians today earned the same ratio to GDP per capita as the 1970s (10x), their gross income would exceed $550,000 annually—not the stagnant reality we face.Three metrics for accountabilityReal accountability requires tying CFPC compensation to outcomes, not automatic adjustments:Member Income Parity: CFPC increases cannot exceed average member income changesMember Value Threshold: With 75% of members saying fees aren't worth it, no raises until satisfaction improvesStrategic Delivery: No increases without an actual strategic planVote NO on October 29. Tell the college: no inflation protection without real accountability. No automatic increases without a strategic plan. No raises while operating adrift.Until the CFPC can answer “Where are we going? How will we get there?”—they have no business asking for inflation protection.Dr. Paul Dhillon is an FP in Sechelt, B.C. and Dr. Greg Dubord is a doctor in Toronto and the director of CBT Canada.

Vote NO on Oct. 29: No inflation protection without accountability

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