Ask how much a doctor makes in Canada and three public sources give three different answers, because each measures something different. The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) reports what provincial and territorial health plans pay physicians before any practice costs. Job Bank publishes the same payments with overhead taken out. The 2021 Census reports what physicians themselves reported as employment income for 2020. This page sets out each one and what it leaves out. It is part of the salary by profession hub; what dentists make and what nurses make have their own pages.
What provincial health plans pay: CIHI gross clinical payments
CIHI’s National Physician Database adds up what each province’s and territory’s medical care plan pays physicians. Total clinical payments reached $40 billion in 2024–2025, and the average gross clinical payment per physician rose 7.2% to $429,000. By province and territory, CIHI reports that it ranged from $322,000 in Yukon to $469,000 in Ontario (CIHI, Physicians).
A gross payment is not a physician’s income. A doctor who runs a clinic pays for rent, staff and equipment out of it, so the amount kept is lower, and how much lower depends on the practice.
Pay after overhead: Job Bank figures by specialty and province
Job Bank shows physicians at an annual rate. Its figures were calculated by CIHI and reflect clinical payments made to physicians by provincial and territorial medical care plans, adjusted to remove the overhead expenses as calculated by the Canadian Medical Association (Job Bank, Questions and Answers on Wages). They are before income tax. Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th: one physician in ten was paid less than the low figure, and one in ten more than the high one.
| Occupation (NOC) | Low (per year) | Median (per year) | High (per year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family physicians and general practitioners (31102) | $90,826 | $232,227 | $435,240 |
| Specialists in surgery (31101) | $144,482 | $419,180 | $766,730 |
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine (31100) | $126,465 | $311,297 | $607,184 |
Source: Job Bank wages (Employment and Social Development Canada), 2023-2024, Canadian Institute for Health Information and Canadian Medical Association - custom tabulation. Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th percentile of wages.
Job Bank reports these three occupation groups only; it has no separate figure for a single specialty such as cardiology or psychiatry. Family physicians and general practitioners by province:
| Region | Low (per year) | Median (per year) | High (per year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $90,826 | $232,227 | $435,240 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $86,738 | $204,492 | $396,356 |
| Prince Edward Island | $89,508 | $209,676 | $333,708 |
| Nova Scotia | $75,058 | $187,135 | $345,667 |
| New Brunswick | $89,344 | $187,297 | $346,082 |
| Quebec | $95,137 | $268,808 | $505,024 |
| Ontario | $84,266 | $233,752 | $451,418 |
| Manitoba | $97,422 | $240,395 | $487,678 |
| Alberta | $66,798 | $178,213 | $327,151 |
| British Columbia | $56,864 | $160,960 | $348,082 |
| Yukon | $82,632 | $219,382 | $424,378 |
Source: Job Bank wages (Employment and Social Development Canada), NOC 31102, 2023-2024, Canadian Institute for Health Information and Canadian Medical Association - custom tabulation. Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th percentile of wages.
What physicians reported to the 2021 Census
The Census counts employment income: wages, salaries and commissions from paid employment and net self-employment income from farm or non-farm unincorporated business and/or professional practice.
| Occupation | Median, 2020 | Median in September 2026 dollars | Average in September 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| General practitioners and family physicians | $126,000 | $156,400 | $186,700 |
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | $150,000 | $186,200 | $226,200 |
| Specialists in surgery | $150,000 | $186,200 | $228,400 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population, Table 98-10-0586-01: employment income in 2020 of people who worked full year, full time. Columns in September 2026 dollars multiply the 2020 figure by the change in the Consumer Price Index from its 2020 average to September 2026 and round to the nearest $100; they are not newer survey results.
The Census medians sit below Job Bank’s for all three groups, and incorporation is one reason. Job Bank notes that among physicians many are self-employed individuals with an incorporated business, and Statistics Canada notes that some self-employed workers receive dividends instead of earnings. Dividends from a corporation fall outside the employment income definition above, so an incorporated physician paid mainly in dividends reports a low Census income even when the practice earns much more. The two sources also cover different years.
Family physicians and general practitioners, 2020 income by province:
| Province | Median, 2020 | Median in September 2026 dollars | Average in September 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $126,000 | $156,400 | $186,700 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $150,000 | $186,200 | $216,000 |
| Prince Edward Island | $266,000 | $330,200 | $317,800 |
| Nova Scotia | $113,000 | $140,300 | $171,800 |
| New Brunswick | $126,000 | $156,400 | $163,300 |
| Quebec | $147,000 | $182,500 | $211,300 |
| Ontario | $120,000 | $148,900 | $179,000 |
| Manitoba | $112,000 | $139,000 | $186,200 |
| Saskatchewan | $96,000 | $119,200 | $169,800 |
| Alberta | $127,000 | $157,600 | $181,500 |
| British Columbia | $120,000 | $148,900 | $171,000 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population, Table 98-10-0586-01: employment income in 2020 of people who worked full year, full time. Columns in September 2026 dollars multiply the 2020 figure by the change in the Consumer Price Index from its 2020 average to September 2026 and round to the nearest $100; they are not newer survey results.
Specialists in surgery, 2020 income by province:
| Province | Median, 2020 | Median in September 2026 dollars | Average in September 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $150,000 | $186,200 | $228,400 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $206,000 | $255,700 | $297,900 |
| Prince Edward Island | $300,000 | $372,400 | $322,700 |
| Nova Scotia | $125,000 | $155,200 | $201,100 |
| New Brunswick | $150,000 | $186,200 | $186,200 |
| Quebec | $200,000 | $248,200 | $291,900 |
| Ontario | $131,000 | $162,600 | $198,600 |
| Manitoba | $210,000 | $260,700 | $270,600 |
| Saskatchewan | $106,000 | $131,600 | $170,000 |
| Alberta | $151,000 | $187,400 | $224,700 |
| British Columbia | $166,000 | $206,000 | $256,200 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population, Table 98-10-0586-01: employment income in 2020 of people who worked full year, full time. Columns in September 2026 dollars multiply the 2020 figure by the change in the Consumer Price Index from its 2020 average to September 2026 and round to the nearest $100; they are not newer survey results.
Residents: the Ontario salary grid
Residents are paid a salary while they train, set by postgraduate year (PGY). In Ontario the salaries come from the 2023-2026 PARO-OTH agreement between the Professional Association of Residents of Ontario (PARO) and the Ontario teaching hospitals. The grid below is the one effective July 1, 2025, after a 2.65% increase on that date (PARO, Arbitration Decision 2024). Other provinces have their own resident agreements and grids.
| Postgraduate year | Annual salary, Ontario |
|---|---|
| PGY1 | $73,367.35 |
| PGY2 | $79,669.97 |
| PGY3 | $85,564.01 |
| PGY4 | $92,700.65 |
| PGY5 | $98,566.96 |
| PGY6 | $104,167.39 |
| PGY7 | $109,250.12 |
| PGY8 | $115,826.24 |
| PGY9 | $120,082.47 |
Incorporation and tax
How a physician’s income is taxed depends on whether the practice is incorporated and how money comes out of the corporation. The professional corporation guide covers the small business rate, salary versus dividends and the limits on income splitting; personal rates are in the marginal tax rate calculator.
Related pages
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between September 24, 2026 and November 13, 2026. How we check facts.
- cihi.ca: Physicians | CIHI
- Government of Canada: Wages - Open Government Portal
- jobbank.gc.ca: Questions and Answers on Wages - Job Bank
- myparo.ca (2): Your Contract – PAROArbitration Decision 2024 – PARO
- Statistics Canada (3): Statistics CanadaConsumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjustedConsumer Price Index, monthly, not seasonally adjusted