New Funding Supports Four Primary Care Teams as Province Advances $3.4 Billion Healthcare Expansion Plan
The Ontario government is investing more than $15 million to expand access to primary care services in Scarborough, connecting more than 38,000 additional residents with family doctors, nurse practitioners, and primary care teams as part of the province’s broader healthcare expansion strategy.
Announced on August 5, 2026, by the Ministry of Health, the funding will support four primary care teams through the province’s 2026-27 call for proposals under the Primary Care Action Plan. The initiative is part of Ontario’s $3.4 billion commitment to connect every resident in the province with a primary care provider by 2029.
The latest investment brings Ontario’s total funding dedicated to expanding primary care access in Scarborough to nearly $20 million.
“As we work to connect everyone in Scarborough and across Ontario to a family doctor or primary care team by 2029, we’re making historic investments to keep families healthier while reducing pressure on emergency departments,” said Minister Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “We encourage those looking for a new primary care clinician to sign up for Health Care Connect, the fastest and most seamless way to get connected to a family doctor, nurse practitioner or primary care team.”
Four Scarborough Healthcare Teams Receive Expansion Funding
The newly funded primary care teams include:
- TAIBU Community Health Centre
- Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities
- Scarborough Academic Family Health Team
- HF Connecting Health Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic
The province said these organizations will help connect thousands of residents to healthcare services closer to home while improving access to coordinated medical support.
The investment builds on earlier funding provided through the 2025-26 call for proposals, which allocated more than $4.8 million to two primary care teams operating clinics in Scarborough. Those clinics have already connected more than 13,600 residents to primary care, exceeding their combined target by 33 per cent.
Carefirst Family Health Team Expands Access Through Previous Funding
Ontario highlighted the progress made through previous investments supporting the Carefirst Family Health Team and Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities.
“Access to timely, high-quality primary care is essential for the health and well-being of our community. Today’s milestone at Carefirst Family Health Team shows what is possible when we invest directly in local care teams. Connecting thousands of Scarborough residents to a family doctor or care provider demonstrates our government’s commitment to building a stronger, more accessible healthcare system for Scarborough families.”
- Vijay Thanigasalam
MPP for Scarborough—Rouge Park
Officials said Carefirst has surpassed its original expansion goals by connecting more residents with healthcare professionals through team-based care models.
“We are grateful to the Ontario government for its leadership and investment in expanding access to team-based primary care through the 2025–2026 Call for Proposals under the Primary Care Action Plan. Carefirst Family Health Team is honoured to have received over $4.5 million expansion funding to expand Integrated Primary Care Team (IPCT) services in Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Markham, and surrounding communities. With this funding support, Carefirst Family Health Team has exceeded its Round 1 expansion target to have attached more than 10,000 patients to our various satellite clinics. This provincial investment is helping to ensure that more individuals, who do not have a family doctor, could now access comprehensive, and better coordinated primary care services that are closer to home.”
- Helen Leung
Chief Executive Officer, Carefirst Family Health Team
Scarborough Healthcare Infrastructure Receives Additional Support
The announcement follows another major healthcare milestone in Scarborough, with the province marking the beginning of construction on Scarborough Health Network’s new emergency department at Centenary Hospital.
Supported by more than $82 million in provincial funding, the new emergency department will add more than 36,000 square feet to the hospital’s existing emergency facilities. The project is expected to support approximately 400 jobs in the region while improving access to emergency services for local families.
The province said investments in both primary and emergency care are designed to reduce pressure on hospitals by helping residents access healthcare services earlier and closer to home.
Ontario Targets Universal Primary Care Access by 2029
Ontario currently reports that nearly 90 per cent of residents are connected to a primary care provider, making it the leading province in Canada for primary care attachment rates. The government has set a target of connecting every person in Ontario to primary care by 2029.
The province’s Primary Care Action Plan is supported by more than $3.4 billion in funding and aims to connect approximately two million additional people with healthcare providers.
“Primary care teams are essential to our community as they connect and give people access to the full range of health professionals including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers and so on, in a timely manner to help them stay healthier for longer through quicker diagnosis and treatment. I am grateful to Minister Sylvia Jones, under the leadership of our Premier, as we remain steadfast in our commitment to seeing everyone in Ontario connected to a family doctor, nurse practitioner, or primary care team by 2029.”
- David Smith
MPP for Scarborough Centre
Residents seeking access to primary care services can register through Health Care Connect, which helps connect people with available family doctors, nurse practitioners, and primary care teams.
Province Expands Healthcare Workforce and Digital Systems
As part of its healthcare modernization efforts, Ontario is also advancing a provincewide Primary Care Medical Record system designed to integrate patient records, reduce administrative work for healthcare providers, and improve coordination of care.
The government said 124 successful applicants will receive funding through the latest Primary Care Action Plan call for proposals, with those teams expected to connect another 500,000 patients across Ontario, including individuals currently waiting through Health Care Connect.
Ontario has also expanded its healthcare workforce, adding more than 20,000 physicians since 2018, including a more than 14 per cent increase in family doctors. In addition, the province said more than 2,300 nurses and over 570 doctors from the United States chose to practise in Ontario in 2025.
“I am proud that, under the leadership of Minister Jones, our government is making significant investments in primary care teams across Scarborough-Agincourt and throughout Scarborough. Carefirst has long been a pillar of health care in Scarborough and the GTA, exceeding its original patient targets and making a lasting difference in the lives of residents by connecting more people to high-quality primary care teams.”
- Aris Babikian
MPP Scarborough—Agincourt
Through continued investment in primary care teams, workforce expansion, and healthcare infrastructure, Ontario said it is working toward a more accessible and connected healthcare system for residents across the province.