A tentative five-year contract agreement has been reached by the provincial government and the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA).
In a release, Saskatchewan Health says the deal runs retroactively from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2022.
“We value our physicians, both for the exceptional patient care they provide to our citizens and their leadership across the health-care system,” Health Minister Jim Reiter said in the release.
“This tentative agreement supports fair and competitive compensation that recognizes their integral role in providing high-quality health services.”
SMA president Dr. Barb Konstantynowicz said she is pleased that after more than three years of bargaining, a tentative agreement is being put to a vote by Saskatchewan’s doctors for ratification.
“I urge physicians across the province to review the information the SMA is providing on the tentative agreement,” Konstantynowicz said.
“The new agreement supports physicians in many key ways and ensures that the profession can properly adapt to the changing needs of patients. The SMA Board of Directors is recommending that members accept this tentative agreement.”
More than 2,500 doctors in the province are expected to complete the ratification vote by mid-August.
Details of the agreement will be released after the ratification process has been completed.