Leeds and Thousand Islands council approves $23K incentive to support visiting physician

A doctor with global experience may soon be treating local patients in Lansdowne, thanks to a unanimous council decision that bends the rules – and opens the wallet.

The Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands (TLTI) council unanimously approved a funding package of up to $23,200 on May 5 to support an incoming locum physician at the St. Lawrence District Medical Centre (SLDMC) in Lansdowne. The move includes a policy exception to allow a housing allowance for the visiting doctor, who will temporarily reside in Brockville during her placement.

The physician, a Canadian citizen currently practicing at a U.S.-run medical clinic in Africa, is interested in completing an “experiential locum” at the Lansdowne clinic as part of the township’s ongoing efforts to recruit a permanent family doctor. The locum is expected to begin mid-May, pending final approval of her credentials to practice in Ontario.

Typically, under the township’s physician experiential locum grant policy, a housing allowance of $2,000 per month (up to two months) is only available if the physician resides within the township. Living outside TLTI – such as in Brockville – entitles physicians to a smaller travel allowance of $350 per week.

However, recognizing the importance of securing medical talent, council approved a policy exception that allows the Brockville-based doctor to receive the higher housing allowance.

The total approved funding includes the $4,000 housing allowance and up to $19,200 in salary support – representing 40 per cent of the locum’s negotiated per diem pay (to a maximum of $480/day for 40 days). The funds will come from the township’s special projects reserve fund, which currently holds over $670,000.

The additional cost of approving the housing allowance over the travel allowance amounts to $1,200.

If the locum ends up being shorter than two months, less funding will be used.

Council’s decision reflects growing efforts to secure stable medical care in TLTI communities, especially as the SLDMC prepares for an upcoming physician retirement.