Physician Salary in Ottawa, ON

Why Physician pay in Ottawa sits 29% below the Canada average

Ottawa, ON posts a physician median of $274,000, which is 29% under the Canada average. The useful question is whether lower prices (COL index 100) and a modeled 1-bedroom near $2,290/month close that gap in real life.

Physicians diagnose and treat illness, drawing on years of medical training and specialization. Physician earnings in Ottawa, ON are dominated by specialty and employment model (hospital-employed vs private practice), so the $274,000 median hides a steep ladder toward $413,000. Use the lower half of the band for training-heavy roles and the upper half for established specialists. Employers screening physicians in Ottawa, ON still list Diagnosis, Treatment, Clinical judgment, and Ethics as core. The local band runs from about $182,000 at the 10th percentile to $413,000 at the 90th.

The percentiles on this page are observed metro figures for Physician in Ottawa, ON, not a national median multiplied by a pay index. That matters: you are looking at how this labour market actually priced the role, including local industry mix. They are still estimates of the market — not a promise of what one employer will offer.

Among the 4 Canada metros we can compare for this role, Ottawa ranks 2 by median. Toronto leads this comparison at $294,000 (+7% vs Ottawa), while Montreal sits at $243,000. Use those gaps to test a relocation thesis: a 15% cash raise that lands in a much more expensive metro can disappear in rent.

Ottawa’s COL index (100) sits nearer the global baseline, so headline and adjusted pay are not far apart ($274,000 vs $274,000). Rent still matters: the 1-bedroom model is $2,290 / month, about 13% of take-home, with leftover near $12,900.

If you are comparing a Ottawa office offer with a location-flexible one, the Canada national median for this role is about $386,000. Local pay is 29% lower — a $112,000 gap. Remote employers often anchor to the national figure; on-site employers in Ottawa are anchoring to this page.

World Bank consumer-price inflation for Canada was about 2.1% in 2025; an illustrative model tied to inflation and the occupation’s outlook suggests pay has risen about 10% over the last few years. Express Entry / work permit is the usual skilled-hire route (moderate for typical hires): Skilled workers often use Express Entry (CRS points) or an employer-supported work permit; many tech roles score well when language and education criteria are met. At 3.5× Canada GDP per capita, this median is well above a typical national living standard. Unemployment was about 6.9% in 2025. None of that is tax, immigration, or career advice — run the calculators and confirm rules officially.