Ontario Ramps Up Healthcare Access: 600,000 More to Get Family Doctors by 2029

Ontario is making a significant move to tackle its ongoing healthcare access crisis, announcing plans to connect an additional 600,000 people to a family doctor or a primary care team by 2029. This comes with a fresh $250 million investment, building on the province's existing $3.4 billion Primary Care Action Plan, and signals a concerted effort to ease the pressure on strained emergency departments. The next 'call for proposals' for communities across Ontario will open in September 2026, aiming to create or expand approximately 78 new primary care team. This latest push from the Ministry of Health, unveiled by Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones at the 2026 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference, directly addresses a worsening shortage that could see 4.4 million Ontarians without a family doctor by the end of this year. Despite connecting over 437,000 people to care since the Primary Care Action Plan launched in January 2025, an estimated 2.5 million residents still lack a consistent primary care provider, according to the Ontario Medical Association. The province is banking on interprofessional healthcare teams, which include a range of professionals like nurse practitioners, physiotherapists, and social workers, to deliver comprehensive, team-based care and improve overall healthcare access. As the September 2026 deadline for funding applications approaches, communities and Ontario Health Teams will be vying for resources to establish these vital primary care hubs. The ambitious goal remains to connect every Ontarian to primary care by 2029, a target that will require sustained investment, efficient implementation, and ongoing efforts to bolster the healthcare workforce through initiatives like the Skills Development Fund. This move is a critical step, but its ultimate success will hinge on effectively scaling these team-based models and reducing administrative burdens for healthcare professionals.