The Ontario government has announced a historic investment of $1.8 billion aimed at connecting two million more residents to a publicly funded family doctor or primary care team over the next four years. This initiative is intended to fulfill the province’s long-term goal of ensuring that every Ontarian has access to a family doctor or primary care provider by 2029.
The investment consists of $1.4 billion in new funding and an additional $400 million previously allocated for primary care. Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones highlighted the progress made in recent years, pointing to Ontario’s leading rate of access to regular health care providers in Canada.
“With this historic, transformative investment, we can now achieve our goal of connecting every person in the province who wants a primary care provider,” Jones stated.
The Primary Care Action Team, chaired by Dr. Jane Philpott, will oversee the deployment of these funds. The team will implement a province-wide action plan to establish a comprehensive and connected primary care system. The approach includes expanding interprofessional teams that integrate family physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, dietitians, and other health professionals to ensure accessible and timely care.
“In every community, your primary care team will be your front door to care, where you have a team of clinicians providing care you can access in a timely way, close to home,” said Dr. Philpott.
Ontario has already added over 15,000 new physicians to its health-care workforce, including a 10 percent increase in family doctors. Two new medical schools have been opened, and the number of medical school and postgraduate training positions has significantly increased, with a focus on meeting the needs of underserved areas. Additionally, the “Your Health” plan connected 328,000 more Ontarians to primary care through an investment of $110 million in primary care teams.
The government’s Primary Care Action Plan outlines several key measures to close the gap for the remaining 10 percent of Ontarians without access to primary care by 2029:
- Expansion of Teams: 305 new and expanded primary care teams will be introduced, with the goal of attaching two million new patients by 2029. This year alone, 80 new teams will be created, connecting 300,000 individuals to care.
- Modernization Efforts: Health Care Connect, the province’s primary care matching service, will be upgraded to streamline access to providers, with a wait time target of no more than 12 months.
- Enhanced Digital Tools: Investments will enhance patient and provider experiences through improved digital tools, allowing patients to book appointments online, access health records, and navigate care more efficiently.
- Transparent Reporting: The government will publish regular updates on progress, including metrics on the percentage of people attached to primary care, appointment wait times, and digital accessibility.
To support the expansion, Ontario will implement targeted recruitment and retention strategies for family doctors, nurse practitioners, and allied health professionals, with a particular focus on northern and rural communities. New community-based teaching clinics will also be launched in collaboration with academic institutions, prioritizing underserved regions to attract new practitioners.
Health care organizations and professionals across the province have expressed cautious optimism about the announcement. Kimberly Moran, CEO of the Ontario Medical Association, called the initiative a “significant investment” but emphasized the importance of retaining family doctors and ensuring the sustainability of the primary care system.
Dr. Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, welcomed the move, highlighting the importance of interprofessional teams in addressing Ontario’s primary care challenges. Nurse practitioners’ associations also praised the plan, noting that fully utilizing nurse practitioners’ expertise will be essential to meeting the province’s goals.
The Ontario government’s $1.8 billion initiative marks a bold step toward ensuring equitable access to primary care for all Ontarians. While the plan is ambitious, its success will depend on continued collaboration between the government, health care providers, and community leaders to address ongoing challenges in workforce shortages, patient attachment, and timely care delivery.
