Province says investment is helping connect more residents to family doctors and primary care teams while advancing goal of universal access by 2029
KAWARTHA LAKES, Ontario — The Ontario government is expanding access to primary care services in Kawartha Lakes through a multi-million-dollar investment aimed at connecting more residents with family doctors, nurse practitioners and interdisciplinary health-care teams.
During a visit to the Kawartha North Family Health Team on June 29, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones highlighted the province’s ongoing efforts to strengthen access to primary care through Ontario’s $3.4 billion Primary Care Action Plan. The initiative is designed to ensure every resident in the province is connected to a primary care provider by 2029.
The Kawartha North Family Health Team, working in partnership with Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes, received approximately $3.5 million through the province’s 2025–26 funding round under the action plan. The organizations began attaching patients to primary care services in August 2025 and have since connected more than 2,500 residents to care.
Ontario officials say the funding is part of a broader strategy to improve access to frontline health services while reducing pressures on emergency departments and hospitals.
“As we work to connect everyone to primary care by 2029, our government is protecting Ontario’s health-care system by investing in new and expanded primary care teams in Ontario communities, including Kawartha Lakes, that will keep families healthier while relieving pressures on emergency departments,” said Sylvia 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.”
Province Pursues Universal Primary Care Access
According to the Ministry of Health, Ontario currently leads Canada in primary care access, with nearly 90 per cent of residents connected to a primary care provider. However, the government has set a target of ensuring every Ontarian has access to primary care by 2029.
To support that goal, the province appointed Dr. Jane Philpott as chair of the Primary Care Action Team in October 2024. The team was tasked with developing and implementing strategies to expand access across the province.
Building on those efforts, Ontario launched the Primary Care Action Plan in January 2025. The plan is expected to connect approximately two million additional people to primary care services by 2029 through a combination of new investments, expanded teams and system improvements.
The government has already completed two funding rounds under the initiative, resulting in 199 approved applications for new and expanded interprofessional primary care teams. Those projects are expected to connect an additional 800,000 residents to primary care services across Ontario.
The latest funding call approved 124 applicants, which officials estimate will connect another 500,000 patients to care, including many currently registered on the province’s Health Care Connect waitlist.
Local Impact in Kawartha Lakes
Provincial representatives say the investment in Kawartha Lakes will improve access to routine and preventive care while helping residents receive treatment closer to home.
Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, said the funding is already delivering benefits for local communities.
“Access to primary care is one of the most important foundations of a strong and healthy community. This investment in the Kawartha North Family Health Team and Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes is helping connect more local residents with the care they need, closer to home,” said Laurie Scott, MPP Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock. “Our government’s Primary Care Action Plan is delivering real results by expanding access to family doctors, nurse practitioners and primary care teams, reducing pressure on our hospitals, and ensuring people can get the right care, at the right time. I am proud to see this investment making a meaningful difference for families across Kawartha Lakes.”
Marina Hodson, Executive Director of the Kawartha North Family Health Team, welcomed the provincial support and emphasized the importance of collaboration among health-care providers.
“The Board and staff of the Kawartha North Family Health Team are grateful to the Honourable Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, for this important investment in primary care. This funding strengthens our ability to work with our partners to improve access to care for patients across the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County, supporting our shared goal of ensuring every resident has access to a primary care provider. We appreciate the Ministry’s continued commitment to strengthening primary care and look forward to working together to build a more connected and responsive health-care system for the communities we serve.”
Broader Health-Care Modernization Efforts
The province is also advancing a new provincewide Primary Care Medical Record system intended to improve care coordination, reduce administrative workloads for clinicians and provide better integration of patient information.
Ontario says primary care teams play a key role in the health system by bringing together physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, dietitians and other professionals under one roof. Officials argue that timely access to primary care leads to earlier diagnoses, improved management of chronic conditions and reduced reliance on emergency departments.
Since 2018, Ontario has added more than 20,000 physicians to its health-care workforce, including a more than 14 per cent increase in family doctors. The province has also taken steps to attract health professionals from the United States, reporting that more than 2,300 nurses and over 570 doctors from the U.S. chose to practise in Ontario during 2025.
The Kawartha Lakes investment forms part of the government’s broader health-care strategy, which aims to improve access, expand capacity and ensure residents can receive care closer to home in the years ahead.