A B.C. city put a family doctor on the payroll to address a shortage. Now, many physicians want in

The City of Colwood has an unusual problem: Years into a national family-doctor shortage, the B.C. community just west of Victoria is overwhelmed with expressions of interest from physicians.The city, which has a population of roughly 20,000, announced this month that it had hired its first family physician under a municipal funding model. Under this program, doctors will receive paid vacation and parental leave, medical benefits and a defined pension from the municipal pension plan as city employees do.