Ontario's doctors, who have been without a physician services agreement for four years, say they have agreed to return to the bargaining table after the incoming Progressive Conservative government reached out to them.
The Ontario Medical Association, which has about 44,000 members, says days that were scheduled for arbitration in July will now be used for negotiation and possibly mediation.
The association says each side still has the option to re-trigger arbitration, but notes the move is a "welcome change" in the tone of discussions surrounding the physician services agreement.
In a message to its members, the OMA says the Tories, who were elected to a majority earlier this month, have expressed a desire "to reset the relationship between doctors and government" and would be open to revisiting the negotiations mandate set by the outgoing Liberals.
It warns that forging ahead with arbitration would have run the risk of pushing the incoming government into adopting the position held by its predecessors.
"The OMA is not changing its positions in response to the government's request to return to negotiations/arbitration so in that regard we are not starting from scratch," the association said in a separate document sent to members.
"How much the new government changes its position as compared to the previous government remains to be seen."
A spokesman for premier-designate Doug Ford said the Tories are committed to working with and listening to frontline health-care staff.
"Doug Ford is committed to respecting Ontario's physicians and fixing the relationship. These discussions are an important first step," Simon Jefferies said in an email.
Last summer, OMA members voted 65 per cent in favour of a deal that sends contract disputes with the government to binding arbitration.
Under the deal, there must first be an effort at negotiation, and if an agreement isn't reached, then the parties try mediation before moving on to binding arbitration.
