N.B. doctors ready to leave if new tax measures are implemented: survey

The president of the New Brunswick Medical Society says a survey of 500 doctors in the province indicates nearly half would be willing to leave the province if the federal government's new tax changes for small businesses are implemented.  

Dr. Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck said doctors and small businesses pay some of the highest corporate income taxes in New Brunswick, and 46 per cent said they'd look elsewhere or consider moving to other jurisdictions if the changes took effect.

"I think it's going to have a fairly large impact," she said. 

She said 65 per cent of the doctors surveyed said they would seriously look at decreasing the number of hours they worked and 25 per cent would look at early retirement. 

"It's going to have a big impact and I'm not sure the public realizes that."

Opt to move

Murphy-Kaulbeck said moving to other jurisdictions would provide some level of taxation relief even if the federal government implements its proposed changes.

"The level of taxes will be lower than what we have in New Brunswick," she said. "You've got to remember, physicians are portable and there are jobs across the border and in other places as well and so there are members considering that." 

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Murphy-Kaulbeck said the province's doctors object to all three changes being suggested by federal Finance Minister, Bill Morneau. 

A 75-day consultation period is focusing on the contentious proposals in the federal budget:

• The curtailment of "income sprinkling," a method by which business owners shift a portion of income to family members, either through salary or dividends
• The curbing of "passive investment income," which the government describes as the investment of money left in a corporation, for purposes other than to invest directly in growth
• The conversion of a corporation's regular income into capital gains, which typically attract a lower tax rate

Morneau has said the government wants a tax system that is fair for Canadians.

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But Murphy-Kaulbeck said fee for service physicians are small business owners and are not equivalent to salaried physicians or other salaried professionals. 

"To compare the two is not a fair comparison," she said, pointing out they, along with small business owners have no medical benefits, no retirement plans and other benefits enjoyed by salaried employees.