New numbers say Alberta is an attractive place for doctors to practice.

According to the Alberta government, the amount of physicians in the province has increased by sixty per cent since 2001.

The increase in the amount of family doctors in Alberta is also far ahead of the rest of the country, and it might be due to how much they’re paid.

Alberta physicians’ salaries are 29 per cent more than the national average.

Minister of Health Fred Horne says he’s proud of the work Albertan doctors do — and makes no apologies for their salaries.

“This data confirms that Alberta is a very attractive place for physicians to practise,” said Horne. “They choose Alberta because they are the best paid in Canada, they have the opportunity to practise in some of the best health care and research facilities in the world, and they can enjoy a quality of life that is second to none.”