Orillia Council has moved to replace money lost to the local Physician Recruitment and Retention committee when the city lost its underservices designation.
The committe lost 40 thosuand dollars that was used to provide financial incentives to convince family doctors to set up their practice in Orillia.
Council heard from Committee Chair Tony Katarynych that there are 6 family doctors who have expressed an interest in opening a practice in Orillia.
He told Council, they need immediate financial help from the city to match incentives being provided by Soldiers Memorial hospital to these new physicians.
The committee needs 30 thosuand dollars right away, 50 thosuasand by July and an additional 7,500 dollars by the summer of next year.
Katarynych says communities are now competing with each other by offering everything from housing grants, to lease free automobiles to sports memberships in an effort to attract doctors to their area.
In fact he says last year one doctor had almost made up his mind to relocate to Orillia, when Sault Ste. Marie made a better offer and that is where the MD went.
The committee also asked council for an additional grant of 60 thousand dollars that would allow them to hire a professional physician recruiter.
Ward 3 Councillor Michael Fogarty says Council is not only responsible for the economic health of the community but its physical health as well.
Council approved the request for 87 thousand 500 dollar request.
An additional request for 60 thousand for the physicial recruiter has been refered to the Economic Development Committee for further study and a recommendation to council.
