Doctor will repay $100K loan provided as incentive to work in northern Manitoba town
CBC
A family doctor who committed to work for a decade in a northern Manitoba community — and then left within two years — says she has agreed to repay a $100,000 interest-free loan provided as a recruitment incentive.
Dr. Andrea Wilson also says she has continued to provide virtual care to patients in The Pas, Man., and has not broken the agreement.
"I have a full and active licence to practice family medicine in Manitoba and have continued to provide services in The Pas since July 1, 2020 — and currently do. My next trip is scheduled for March 2024," Wilson wrote in an email to CBC News. The Pas, which has a population of 5,639, is located about 625 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.
Wilson says she has three active medical practices, one in Manitoba and two in B.C., and is a clinical instructor with the department of family practice at the University of British Columbia. However, she says she is not currently working "due to a personal family medical situation."
According to documents filed in Manitoba's Court of King's Bench on Oct. 30, Wilson is being sued by The Pas Community Development Corporation (CDC) for continuing to "refuse and/or neglect to pay the loan."
The two sides have been in discussions all month and came to an agreement earlier this week.
Wilson provided CBC News with a letter written by CDC lawyer Jonathan Paterson, which said in part: "The Pas CDC is pleased that Ms. Wilson intends to make full payment of the balance owed to the Pas CDC," a lump sum of $100,000.
In an email Thursday evening, Paterson confirmed the terms of resolution were agreed to on Nov. 28.
"We can now confirm that Dr. Wilson has agreed to repay her loan in full by December 31, 2023, after which the Pas CDC will discontinue its claim," Paterson wrote.
"At the time of the previous request for comment the terms of resolution had not yet been finalized, and accordingly the Pas CDC determined it was inappropriate to comment on the without prejudice discussions between the parties."
The lawsuit says Wilson signed a $100,000 loan agreement with CDC on Apr. 1, 2019.
According to court documents, she agreed to work at least 880 clinical hours during each of 10 years of full-time medical services in The Pas between 2020 and 2030, and entered into an Independent Contractor General Practitioner Agreement with the Northern Regional Health Authority (NRHA) on July 1, 2020.
However, the lawsuit alleges Wilson left The Pas on Nov. 7, 2021, and moved to Vancouver.
Wilson disputes that, saying her primary residence was in The Pas until January 2022. She said she moved to B.C. to care for a family member.
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