Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones is concerned that proposed revisions to the province's Underserviced Area Program (UAP) could mean communities in her riding will lose financial incentives to recruit doctors for the area.

The Liberal government is proposing a financial incentive program based on a Rurality Index for Ontario (RIO), which is specifically designed to attract physicians to northern and rural communities.

Communities across Ontario have been listed as census subdivisions (CSDs). Any CSD with a score of 40 or more on the RIO scale would be eligible to receive incentive funding.

The amount of funding would be determined by the RIO score: the higher the score, the higher the value of the incentive funding.

Ontario's Underserviced Area Program is also being redesigned to combine existing physician recruitment and retention funding from the Incentive Grant and Free Tuition Programs into a single fund.

Ms. Jones says this means funding for Orangeville and Mono, who score 22 and 38 respectively, would cease. Shelburne (40) and East Garafraxa (40) barely qualify, while Amaranth (44), East Luther/Grand Valley (45), Mulmur (44) and Melancthon (47) are only slightly better.

Caledon would be automatically excluded because they are part of the GTA, an area the government feels is sufficiently staffed with doctors.

"If the McGuinty Liberals have their way, most residents in Dufferin- Caledon will lose support for physician recruitment," said Ms. Jones in a press release. "I receive calls on a weekly basis from individuals and families who are looking for a family doctor."

It doesn't appear, however, that Orangeville and Mono have entirely been shut out. While Dufferin County has eight CSDs, it is also divided into just two under serviced designation areas.

Orangeville and Mono are joined by East Garafraxa and East Luther Grand Valley in one, while Shelburne, Amaranth, Mulmur and Melancthon comprise the other.

Since East Garafraxa and East Luther/Grand Valley are above the score of 40, Orangeville and Mono could still conceivably benefit from the funding. There is also the indication that the other area, with all four of its communities in the funding range, stand to receive more funding.

This stands well with Shelburne Mayor Ed Crewson, who says his municipality has not welcomed a full-time doctor since 2003. On the other hand, he says six doctors have moved to Orangeville over the the last six years.

"I'm glad Shelburne will be receiving enhanced incentive funding," Mr. Crewson said in an interview. "Any incentives we can offer doctors to come here will certainly help us.

"Health care is one of the building blocks of a community. If we don't have adequate health care here, we're a diminished community with a dark future."

The new RIO formula, which was devised in 2008, determines each CSD's score by adding population (a measure of community population and population density), the measure of travel time to the nearest basic referral centre (which would include the various medical facilities in Dufferin ) and measure of travel time to the nearest advanced referral centre (a fullyequipped and staffed centre such as Sunnybrook in Toronto).

Ms. Jones, meanwhile, maintains the Ontario government has not lived up to its promises in regards to health care.

"Six years ago Dalton McGuinty promised to recruit and train more doctors; six years ago the Premier promised that no person would go without the medical attention they needed," she said in her release. "However, six years have passed and nearly 20,000 residents of Dufferin-Caledon are still without a family doctor.

"I believe McGuinty is introducing a two-tier health care system," she said. "If you have a family doctor you have access to other health professionals, such as diabetes education or mental health, through a Family Health Team and referral to specialists. If you do not have a family doctor you do not have access to the new Family Health Team services and you must rely on the emergency department for your care."