I know nothing about but was curious why they haven increased their residency positions.

One of the first hits on was this article, it seems like the issue (at least for family doctors) isn’t a lack of available residency positions since 268 positions went unfilled.

Sounds like it has more to do with the job basically sucks compared to other specialties, a few reasons mentioned in the article:

• Provinces are effectively forcing family doctors to crank patients through at a high rate since they’re pay is based on the number of pts the see in a day

• Family practice involves less collaboration with other physicians, less opportunity for professional growth.

• Political climate, notably in Alberta, is outright hostile towards doctors.

Doesn’t really explain what’s hindering doctors trained abroad from becoming doctors here.

Seems to me that a program designed to help foreign trained doctors become licensed here would be a good investment.