CMPA

The Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) is the principal medico-legal defence organization for physicians practising in Canada. It is not a conventional insurance company. It is a mutual not-for-profit organization, controlled by its physician members, that provides legal representation, indemnification for damages, and risk management resources to most Canadian physicians and surgeons. In medical malpractice litigation in Ontario, the overwhelming majority of physician defendants are represented by CMPA-retained counsel.

The CMPA’s resources and the depth of its experience defending these cases are significant features of the legal landscape on the plaintiff side. CMPA-retained counsel are typically specialized medical defence lawyers, often supported by detailed expert networks and substantial investigative budgets. Plaintiffs and their counsel must approach medical malpractice litigation with the understanding that the defence will be well-funded and experienced.

CMPA membership fees in Ontario are partially reimbursed to physicians through a long-standing arrangement with the Ministry of Health, which has been the subject of periodic public discussion. Whatever one’s view of the policy question, the practical effect on individual claims is that the CMPA is a permanent fixture of medical malpractice practice in Ontario.

Posts tagged CMPA analyze Ontario decisions and broader policy questions involving the CMPA’s role in defending and managing medical malpractice claims.