List of Physicians in Canada: Database by Province & Specialty

Last updated on September 1st, 2026

How many physicians are there in Canada?

Canada had 99,555 physicians in 2024, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). That represented 241 physicians per 100,000 people. CIHI reported that the physician supply increased 2.2% from 2023, with specialist physicians growing faster than family medicine physicians.

For healthcare companies researching the Canadian market, however, the number of physicians depends on how the data is defined. Public health workforce statistics and commercial physician databases may use different inclusion criteria.

Ampliz maintains a broader commercial database of 175,900 Canadian physician profiles according to September 2026, organized by location, specialty, practice information and other professional attributes. This type of physician data can help US healthcare companies, medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, health technology vendors and healthcare service providers identify relevant Canadian healthcare professionals.

This guide explains the Canadian physician landscape by province, specialty and market opportunity, while showing how healthcare marketers can use physician data for research, market segmentation and targeted B2B outreach.

Understanding the Physician Landscape in Canada

Canada’s physician workforce is diverse and regionally distributed to cater to population density and healthcare infrastructure needs. The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and Ampliz’s proprietary data sources together reveal key insights into this workforce.

Key Highlights

• Total Physicians: 175,900
• General Practitioners / Family Physicians: 59,452
• Specialists: 72,275
• Average Physician-to-Population Ratio: 3.3 per 1,000 population
• Top 3 Provinces by Physician Count: Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia

This balanced distribution ensures that Canadians have access to quality healthcare irrespective of their location, although rural and remote areas still face physician shortages.

Canadian Physician Statistics: Quick Facts

Number of Physicians in Canada by Province

Physician distribution varies considerably across Canada’s provinces and territories. Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia have the largest physician populations, reflecting their population size and concentration of healthcare institutions.

The table below represents Ampliz database profiles, rather than official government workforce counts. For official workforce statistics, readers should refer to CIHI’s doctors list Canada.

Important: These are Ampliz database profiles, not official physician workforce counts.

Physicians in Canada by Specialty

Doctors in Canada by specialty, making specialty-level segmentation important for pharmaceutical, medical device, healthcare technology and professional services companies. Rather than treating Canada’s physician population as one audience, marketers can segment physicians by specialty, province, practice setting and healthcare organization.

Note: Ampliz database as of September 2026. Signup.

Why US Healthcare Companies Target Canadian Physicians

Canada can be an attractive adjacent market for US healthcare companies looking to expand beyond the United States. Canadian physicians can be relevant prospects for companies selling medical devices, healthcare software, clinical technologies, pharmaceutical services, staffing solutions and professional services.

For US healthcare marketers, the challenge is rarely finding a generic list of Canadian doctors. The bigger challenge is identifying the right physicians and healthcare organizations based on specialty, province, practice type, affiliation and business relevance.

For example:

• A medical device company may need cardiologists in Ontario and Quebec.
• A healthcare software company may want physicians affiliated with multi-location practices.
• A pharmaceutical company may segment physicians by specialty and geography.
• A healthcare staffing company may identify physicians in underserved regions.
• A market research company may build specialty-specific physician panels.
• A US healthcare services company entering Canada may need physician and healthcare organization mapping before launching campaigns.

What Information Should a Canadian Physician Database Include?

A useful physician database should go beyond a physician’s name and specialty. Depending on the intended use, healthcare marketers may need:

• Physician name
• Medical specialty
• Sub-specialty
• Province
• City
• Practice location
• Hospital affiliation
• Healthcare organization
• Practice type
• Professional title
• Business contact information
• Professional email
• Phone number
• Website
• License or registration information
• Organization size
• Specialty-specific attributes
• Data verification date

Top 10 Hospitals Employing the Most Physicians in Canada

Insight: Ontario dominates with the highest number of hospital-based physicians due to its population concentration and research infrastructure.

FAQs on Physicians in Canada

How many physicians are there in Canada?

Canada had 99,555 physicians in 2024, according to CIHI. The figure represents Canada’s physician workforce and is different from commercial database counts that may use broader inclusion criteria.

Which province has the most physicians in Canada?

Ontario has the largest physician population among Canadian provinces. Physician distribution is strongly influenced by population size and healthcare infrastructure.

How many physicians are there in Canada by specialty?

Canada has both family medicine physicians and specialist physicians across areas such as internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, psychiatry, emergency medicine, radiology and anesthesiology. CIHI publishes physician data by specialty and geography.

Where can I find a list of physicians in Canada?

Public sources such as CIHI provide workforce statistics and physician data. Companies that need commercial prospecting data may use specialized healthcare databases that provide additional fields for segmentation and outreach.

Can US companies market to Canadian physicians?

Yes, US companies can conduct B2B marketing activities involving Canadian healthcare professionals, but the applicable privacy, electronic communications and other legal requirements depend on the campaign, data source, recipient and method of communication. Organizations should review applicable Canadian requirements before launching campaigns.

How can I find Canadian physicians by specialty?

A physician database can be segmented by specialty, province, city, practice type, healthcare organization and other professional attributes. This is particularly useful for pharmaceutical, medical device, healthcare technology and healthcare services companies.

What is the difference between a physician directory and a physician database?

A directory generally helps users locate physicians and basic professional information. A commercial physician database may provide additional business, organizational and segmentation attributes designed for sales, marketing, recruiting or market research.

Does Ampliz provide Canadian physician data?

Yes. Ampliz provides commercial healthcare data that can be segmented to help organizations research and identify physicians and healthcare organizations in Canada.

Conclusion

Finding physicians is only the first step. For B2B healthcare marketing, the real value comes from being able to identify and segment the physicians who match your ideal customer profile.

Ampliz provides commercial healthcare data that can be segmented by attributes such as specialty, geography, practice and healthcare organization. This allows US and international healthcare companies to build more focused Canadian prospect lists rather than relying on broad, one-size-fits-all physician directories..

Looking for Canadian physicians by specialty, province or practice type?

Talk to Ampliz about building a targeted physician dataset for your market.

Subbu

V. Subramanyam
Head of Product at Ampliz | Healthcare Data & GTM Intelligence Expert

V. Subramanyam is the Head of Product at Ampliz, where he leads the strategy and development of healthcare data intelligence solutions that help sales, marketing, recruiting, and commercial teams identify and engage healthcare decision-makers across the United States.

With extensive experience in product management, healthcare data, B2B SaaS, GTM strategy, and sales intelligence, he focuses on building products that simplify healthcare prospecting through accurate physician, hospital, executive, and healthcare organization data. His work emphasizes data quality, enrichment, and AI-powered workflows that enable organizations to make faster, data-driven decisions.

Connect with Him:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vsubramanyam
• Company: https://www.ampliz.com