MONTREAL — Quebec’s association of obstetricians and gynaecologists has launched a legal challenge against the province’s federation of medical specialists, contending that a long‑standing, gender‑related pay gap between medical specialties remains in place and must be formally acknowledged and remedied.
Allegation of a persistent pay gap
The association says data from 2020 show that specialties with a female majority earned, on average, about 30 per cent less than those with a majority of men. In court filings, the group argues that the gap has not disappeared and that the federation must act without further delay to end what it describes as systemic discrimination against female medical specialists.
In its application to the Superior Court, the obstetricians and gynaecologists’ association asked a judge to order the federation to recognise the pay disparity and take prompt steps to correct it. The filing contends that, in a context where the federation has long acknowledged gender‑based inequities, postponing corrective measures only perpetuates unfair treatment.
What the federation says
The Quebec Federation of Medical Specialists says it has been working for several years to reduce pay gaps among specialist groups and that it adopted a new remuneration system in June intended to narrow disparities. Under that system, doctors who historically earned lower revenues received larger percentage increases than those with higher pay.
The federation also highlighted the composition of the committee that reviewed the pay system, saying it included an equal number of men and women — four male and four female physicians — and that both a paediatrician and an obstetrician‑gynaecologist sat on the committee. It noted that the new plan was approved by a substantial majority of its 36 member associations on June 23.
“This legal action is not only targeting the federation: it challenges a decision that 36 associations made together, democratically, after several years of work conducted with independent pay equity experts. We believe in this process and we will defend it.”
The federation has accused the association of attempting to overturn the democratic result of that vote.
Context and related legal actions
The dispute follows a similar move by the provincial paediatricians association, which in 2024 filed for an injunction with the Superior Court contesting the federation’s approach to pay equity for their specialty. Both cases put pressure on the federation’s recent reforms and highlight tensions about how best to measure and remedy pay differences between specialties.
Observers say such conflicts illustrate broader challenges in addressing pay inequities in medicine — particularly when different specialties have distinct practice models, revenue sources and historical earning patterns. The federation’s attempt to reweight remuneration increases aimed to be redistributive, but that approach has not satisfied all groups that say the underlying disparities are rooted in gendered patterns of specialty choice and valuation.
Implications for physicians and patients
For physicians, the litigation could determine whether the federation must pursue further changes to how specialists are compensated and whether additional, targeted measures for predominantly female specialties will be required. For patients, the dispute may influence recruitment and retention in certain fields if perceived pay inequity persists.
- 2020 data: Female‑majority specialties earned about 30% less, on average.
- June reform: New system increased lower‑revenue physicians by larger percentages.
- Governance: 36 member associations voted to adopt the new system; review committee had equal male/female representation.
| Year | Key development |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Data indicating ~30% average earnings gap between female‑ and male‑majority specialties |
| 2024 | Paediatricians filed an injunction against the federation over pay equity |
| June (year unspecified) | Federation adopted a new remuneration system after a vote of 36 associations |
Next steps
The Superior Court will now consider the obstetricians and gynaecologists’ demands. The outcome could require the federation to revisit its recent reforms or to take further steps to quantify and redress pay inequities among specialties.
Whichever way the court rules, the case underscores a continuing debate within Quebec’s medical community about how to balance collective decision‑making, independent expert advice and targeted remedies for gendered pay disparities.
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Reporting from Montreal.
