annual-reports
2025-2026 Annual Report
Bold, Focused, Strategic
Bold Advocacy, Focused Support, and Strategic Partnerships are our three strategic priorities until 2028 and have shaped our work this past year. This report reflects on the ground we've covered and all the organizational wins we've achieved.
Honouring the Land
The BC College of Family Physicians (BCCFP) is located on the unceded and traditional territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are deeply grateful to learn and work on these lands, and we recognize that our members serve communities on many Indigenous territories across British Columbia.
As we strive toward health equity, we acknowledge the ongoing impacts of colonization on Indigenous Peoples’ health and well-being, and we commit to advancing culturally safe, relationship-based care and supporting reconciliation through our work.
But I can also tell you that the hardest days are never really about medicine. They're about the moments you know exactly what a patient needs and cannot get it to them fast enough, or at all. That ache, the moral injury of good care delayed by systems that don't talk to each other, is something every family doctor in BC carries. And this past year, we worked hard to ease that burden and to start dismantling it.
During Red Tape Awareness Week, we asked physicians across the province to tell us how fragmented digital systems were affecting their practice, and that administrative burden showed a big impact that translates into lost patient time, rising costs, strained doctor-patient relationships, and burnout. That data became a tool we put directly in front of decision makers, because your time belongs to your patients, not to systems that don't communicate.
We also stood firmly on the question of who we are. Our position statement on terminology may have seemed like a small thing to some, but words shape how patients understand the depth of training behind the person sitting across from them. Calling us "primary care providers" flattens years of expertise into something interchangeable. We pushed back on that, and it resonated so strongly that it became the foundation for a national conversation on the same issue.
When the Ministry of Health proposed changes to scope of practice under the HPOA, we submitted a joint response with CFPC on your behalf. We support team-based care and colleagues working to the full extent of their training, but scope expansion cannot be a substitute for the proven excellence and expertise of family physicians, or for building a sustainable system within which family physicians do our work.
I don't think any of us believes the system is where it needs to be yet. But I do believe we are asking sharper questions and pushing harder for the answers than we were a year ago, and I am proud to do that work alongside you.
Dr. Jennifer Lush
President
Everything we do starts with listening to our members. Through our advocacy input circles, annual member survey, and countless conversations throughout the year, you continued to shape our priorities and our work. It was encouraging to see member satisfaction increase again this year, reinforcing that we are focusing our efforts where they matter most and delivering meaningful value to our membership.
Over the past year, we continued to build both our capacity and our impact. Our staff team has grown in size, expertise, and leadership, allowing us to respond more effectively to emerging issues, deepen our advocacy efforts, and expand the support we provide to members. We invested intentionally in professional development for both staff and board, strengthening skills in facilitation, compassionate leadership, and cultural safety, while also supporting new leaders as they stepped into new roles across the organization.
Building strong relationships remained a strategic priority. We increased engagement with members, government, health system partners, and our national Chapter colleagues to ensure the voice of BC family physicians is heard where decisions are being made. These relationships are critical to advancing our advocacy efforts, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and ultimately delivering better outcomes for our members.
Our community continues to be one of our greatest strengths. This year's Awards Celebration sold out for the first time, reflecting immense pride and connection within our profession. We also launched a new sponsorship program, expanded Family Doctor Month into an even broader province wide campaign for a second consecutive year, and continued investing in physician led initiatives through our Cultural Safety and Humility Grants Program. Together, these efforts strengthened awareness of family medicine while celebrating the extraordinary contributions of family physicians throughout British Columbia.
I want to thank our Board of Directors for their leadership, thoughtful governance, and unwavering commitment throughout another ambitious year. I also want to recognize our staff team, whose dedication, creativity, professionalism and passion continue to elevate the work of this organization every day.
Most importantly, thank you to our members. Your engagement, feedback, and trust continue to shape our direction and inspire our work. Together, we are building a stronger organization, a stronger family medicine community, and a stronger voice for family physicians across British Columbia.
Kendra Johnston
Executive Director
Our Membership This Year
As the largest member association for family physicans in BC, our growing membership is both a point of pride and a privilege. Each year, more family physicians choose to join our community, strengthening our collective voice and impact.
We’re grateful to represent such an engaged and growing group of dedicated family physicians, with engagement rates consistently surpassing the nonprofit average of 46.4% (Brevo, 2025).
Your continued engagement fuels our advocacy, amplifies our influence, and drives real change for family medicine across the province.
Number of Members
Member Communications Sent
Average Engagement Rate
Bold Advocacy
In last year’s annual report, we shared that 72% of members identified 'Advocacy' as a top priority for BCCFP. We heard you - and we’ve stepped up our efforts.
Over the past year, we’ve kept pushing for meaningful change on the issues impacting our members and their patients, strengthened our relationships with elected officials and partners, and ensured family medicine remains a top priority.
Position Statements Made
Partners Engaged
Elected Officials Met With
Positions and Statements
Importance of Terminology Position Statement
We released a formal position statement calling on health organizations, government bodies, and media to use the terms "family physician" or "family doctor" rather than vague catch-all labels like "primary care provider," which blur the training, scope, and professional identity that set family physicians apart.
Strengthening Primary Care in BC (CARGA Report)
In September 2025 and again in January 2026, we delivered detailed responses to the province's CARGA Primary Care Report, raising questions about how quality is measured in primary care, how family physicians should lead team-based care, and how digital integration can ease administrative burden. Our feedback pushed for equity across all longitudinal primary care settings and reinforced that family physicians must remain central to the province's efforts to strengthen access, equity, and quality of care.
Scope of Practice Changes
Alongside the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), we submitted a joint letter to the Ministry of Health's Executive Director of Professional Regulation and Oversight, responding to proposed scope of practice changes under the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA). The submission represented the collective voice of over 8,000 family physicians in BC and more than 37,000 across Canada.
Member Surveys
Red tape Awareness Week
During Red Tape Awareness Week, 161 family physicians told us how disconnected digital systems are affecting their daily practice. 78% are juggling between two and five separate digital systems, nearly 39% are re-entering patient information weekly, and more than half lose over 30 minutes a day to poor EMR interoperability, more time than an average patient visit takes.
Member Survey
This year, 416 BC family physicians shared their experiences with us, and their voices are clear: the challenges facing family medicine are real, urgent, and require systemic action. From administrative burden and EMR fragmentation to team-based care barriers and rural retention, our Member Survey captured what's working, what isn't, and what needs to change.
Report: Delays in Timely Access to Primary Care
To ground our advocacy in evidence, we commissioned a public polling project examining how timely access to primary care looks like for British Columbians. The findings reinforced a core message from our CARGA Report 2 response: that monitoring and evaluation frameworks must look beyond attachment rates alone, and that family physicians must be recognized as the most responsible providers central to this work.
Advocacy Day at the Legislature
For the ninth consecutive year, the BCCFP successfully lobbied for May 19th to be officially proclaimed BC Family Doctor Day by the BC Government, a meaningful recognition of the vital role family physicians play in community health. To mark the occasion, our leadership team met with decision-makers at the BC Legislature to advocate for targeted health care investments that strengthen family medicine and improve patient outcomes province-wide.
Focused Support
At the heart of our Focused Support priority is the commitment to honour connection, learning, and care as the foundation of a strong community. Every year, we take time to listen and adapt, refining our programs and services so they genuinely meet the evolving needs of family physicians across BC.
Total Award Nominations
Awards Presented
per category
Circle of Impact Honour
Recipients
Celebrating You: Family Doctor Month
Throughout May 2026, and for second consecutive year, we expanded Family Doctor Day into a month-long celebration honouring the contributions of family physicians across the province. We created content and highlighted the work and advocacy family physicians make every day, all year long.
2026 Award Recipients
Behind every award recipient is a story: a patient whose lives changed thanks to their family physician, a colleague who watched them navigate a complex case with grace, or a community that depends on someone who could have practised anywhere but chose to stay.
Nominated by the people who know their work best -patients, peers, and communities- this year's BCCFP Award Recipients represent the unique and irreplaceable role of family medicine.
2026 Awards Celebration
Over 200 guests gathered to celebrate our 2026 award recipients, including BC Family Physician of the Year and the patient-nominated My Family Doctor Award honourees. We were delighted to welcome Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre, Doctor Hedy Fry, Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Care Access, MLA Stephanie Higginson, CFPC President, Sarah Cook, and Elder Syexwáliya as special guests for a memorable evening.
Circle of Impact Recipients
Through peer nominations, the Circle of Impact award honours family physicians excelling in teaching, advocacy, and community leadership across British Columbia.
Dinner with Docs
Over 200 medical students gathered with family physicians across British Columbia this year, continuing a tradition that has strengthened our community for nearly two decades. Dinner with Docs creates essential space for meaningful conversations over a shared meal, connecting, inspiring, and building lasting interest in family medicine.
Thank you to all of the incredible BCCFP members who gave their time to share their experience and advice with the next generation of family physicians:
- Dr. Saad Ahmed
- Dr. Katherine Bell (Vancouver and Prince George host)
- Dr. Stacy Cabage
- Dr. James Card
- Dr. Andy Chen
- Dr. Cynthia Clark
- Dr. Marjorie Docherty (Kelowna host)
- Dr. Celestine Esume
- Dr. Kalen Geddes
- Dr. Ryan Herriot
- Dr. Jamil Hirji
- Dr. Shana Johnston
- Dr. Sumeet Kalia
- Dr. Jim Ketch
- Dr. Emma King
- Dr. Shawna Koehle
- Dr. Jennifer Lush (Victoria host)
- Dr. Jeanne Mace
- Dr. Taran Main
- Dr. Anna Mason
- Dr. Uzma Mashood
- Dr. Saira Musharaf
- Dr. Lucy Nee
- Dr. Jennifer Parsons
- Dr. Ian Scott
- Dr. Heather Smith
- Dr. Omesh Syal
- Dr. Flora Wong
- Dr. Vanessa Young
Strategic Partnerships
Our Strategic Partnerships priority is rooted in collaboration - working alongside others to take meaningful action toward shared goals. A vital part of this work is our commitment to being guided by Indigenous voices and perspectives as we continue our reconciliation journey.
We’re focused on empowering members with the supports you need to embed cultural safety in your own practices - helping foster more inclusive, respectful, and responsive care across communities.
Cultural Safety & Humility Grants Program
Our Cultural Safety Grants Program supported seven initiatives this year, fostering impactful work that builds and strengthens relationships between family physicians and Indigenous communities across BC. This year's recipients honoured Indigenous ways of knowing and being, from land-based healing and traditional medicine teachings to culturally safe palliative care, to Indigenous-led art and language reclamation in clinical spaces.
Cultural Safety Initiatives Supported
Total Grants Awarded to BCCFP Members
Indigenous Health Committee
In September 2025, BCCFP appointed Dr. Willow Thickson as Indigenous Physician Lead, bringing her expertise in Indigenous health, rural health, and environmental health to champion reconciliation through the lens of Indigenous interconnectedness.
Alongside this appointment, BCCFP formed the Indigenous Health Committee (formerly the Cultural Safety and Humility Working Group), bringing together Dr. Tom Curry, Dr. Brendan Groat, Dr. Kim Grieve, Dr. Nathalia Hawrys, Dr. Preveena Dharmaraj, and Dr. James (Dan) Cutfeet to embed cultural safety throughout the organization and drive meaningful change in health equity.
Health Committee Commitment to TRC Calls to Action
In June 2026, our Indigenous Health Committee brought forward a recommendation to advance Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action 19 and 23, which call for measurable progress on Indigenous health outcomes and for increasing and retaining Indigenous health care professionals. The recommendations were formally affirmed by our Board of Directors in June 2026.
Learn More
Member Experience
This year, BCCFP focused on making it easier for members to connect, contribute, and find what they need from us. From a new hub for sharing opportunities to an expanded library of practical resources and clearer pathways to get involved, these updates reflect our ongoing effort to meet members where they are.
BCCFP Bulletin Board
We launched our Bulletin Board, a new space where members can access partner resources, participate in surveys, and stay updated on community activities and opportunities. Members can also submit their own survey, event, program, webinar, or initiative for promotion to the wider BCCFP community.
An Enriched Resource Hub
We expanded our Resources Page with a wider range of internal and external tools to support family physicians in their practice, professional development, and advocacy work.
A New Get Involved Page
Our new Get Involved page gives members a clear view of the ways they can engage in BCCFP's advocacy and connection work, from Board of Directors positions to committee opportunities.
Strategic Partnerships
Last year the BCCFP invested in the relationships that help move family medicine forward, working alongside organizations across the health system to bring a fuller, more coordinated perspective to the issues that matter most to our members. These partnerships help us see around corners, share what we're learning, and ensure the priorities we champion reflect the broader landscape family physicians practise within.
Ongoing partner outreach and coalition building
We've been strengthening existing relationships and building new ones within the primary care ecosystem, both provincially and nationally this year. We're grateful for the time and insight shared by each of these partners, and for the opportunity to connect with organizations including Pathways, the BC Pharmacy Association, the Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC (NNPBC), the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA), the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), the University of British Columbia (UBC), Simon Fraser University (SFU), thew Canadian Association of Physician Assistants CAPA - ACAM, BC Policy Solutions, and Med Response BC.
Day at the Legislature Partner Engagement
This year, we brought more voices into how we developed our Advocacy Day messaging, drawing on member input from the Member Survey and AGM Advocacy Input Circles, alongside insight from nine partner organizations: CFPC, BC Family Doctors, Doctors of BC, Health Quality BC, Consultant Specialists of BC, First Nations Health Authority, Society of Rural Physicians of Canada, BC Rural Health Network, and RCCbc.
Family Medicine Forum
We represented over 8,000 BC family physicians, residents, and medical students at the 2025 Family Medicine Forum in Winnipeg, engaging directly with hundreds of family physicians from across the country. These conversations reinforced that family physicians nationwide face similar pressures around administrative burden, practice sustainability, and the need for stronger recognition of their role in health care delivery.
CFPC Chapter Leaders Meeting
We had the pleasure of reuniting with CFPC Chapter leaders in Halifax, co-chairing a meeting to align on family medicine priority issues across the country. These gatherings bring national and provincial leadership together to connect, share perspectives, and strengthen collaboration, helping ensure BCCFP continues to support its members and their communities well beyond BC's borders.
Rural Health Conference
BCCFP attended the Rural Health Conference hosted by the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc), connecting and talking with rural physicians about the issues that matter most to family medicine and rural health care in BC. These conversations help ground BCCFP's advocacy in the realities rural physicians face every day.
BCCFP in Numbers
Media Mentions
Number of times we have been referenced in media coverage
Total Media Impressions
Number of times a media article is displayed
Social Media Engagements
The benchmark on social engagement is normally 2.5%
BCCFP Website Visits
BCCFP Total Page Views
2025-26 Revenue Streams
2025-26 Expenses per Priority
Thank you for your membership
Your support makes our work possible and allows us to remain independent. As the only family medicine member organization in BC that operates without government funding, we’re able to advocate freely and focus entirely on the needs and voices of our members.
We’re proud to continue investing in initiatives that have real impact, guided by your input and our shared vision for a stronger, more sustainable future for family physicians in BC.
Our Dedicated Team
Our small team is the backbone of everything BCCFP achieves.
Every initiative starts with what we hear from members: their questions, their challenges, the realities of their day to day practice.
That feedback shapes how we read the landscape and where we focus our efforts next. To keep pace with that momentum, we're building our own capacity too, growing the team and deepening professional development so we can bring more expertise and resources to everything we do.
