Province says new funding is accelerating patient connections and easing pressure on hospitals
Pinecrest-Queensway clinic among 130 teams advancing province-wide care targets
OTTAWA — The Ontario government is ramping up efforts to connect residents with primary care providers, highlighting new progress in Ottawa as part of a broader $3.4 billion investment aimed at achieving universal access by 2029.
During a visit to the Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre on Monday, Premier Doug Ford pointed to early results from the province’s Primary Care Action Plan, which is funding 130 teams across Ontario. The Ottawa-based centre received $1.15 million in the 2025–26 funding round and has already enrolled nearly 1,800 patients since beginning operations under the program in August 2025.
That figure represents more than 80 per cent of the clinic’s target of 2,175 patients, putting it on track to meet or exceed its goal by 2029.
“We’re investing record amounts in health care across Ontario, building hospitals, training more doctors and nurses than ever before and connecting patients to convenient primary care in their community,” said Premier Ford. “Here in Ottawa, these investments are helping more people get the care they need when and where they need it. I want to thank all of our incredible partners in the community who are helping make this possible as we work to connect everyone in the province to primary care by 2029.”
Regional investments show early progress
The Pinecrest-Queensway centre is one of six primary care teams receiving provincial funding in the Ottawa region. Together, these organizations have secured $8.1 million and have already connected nearly 20 per cent of their targeted patients to care.
Other funded teams include Équipe de santé familiale communautaire de l’Est d’Ottawa, Greenbelt Family Health Team Inc., Équipe de santé familiale académique Montfort, South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre, and Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health Incorporated.
The province says residents seeking a primary care provider can register through its Health Care Connect system, which is designed to match patients with family doctors, nurse practitioners, or care teams.
“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 Ottawa, that will keep families healthier while relieving pressures on emergency departments,” said Sylvia Jones. “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 targets full access by 2029
Ontario currently reports that nearly 90 per cent of residents are connected to a regular health-care provider, the highest rate in Canada. However, the government has set a goal of closing the remaining gap within the next three years.
One key milestone is reducing the Health Care Connect waitlist. As of this week, the province says the list has been cut by more than 90 per cent compared with January 1, 2025 levels, with a target of clearing it by spring 2026.
The Primary Care Action Plan, launched in January 2025, aims to connect approximately two million additional people to primary care by 2029. It builds on work led by the Primary Care Action Team, chaired by Jane Philpott, who was appointed in October 2024.
To date, the province has completed two funding rounds supporting new and expanded interprofessional care teams. These efforts have resulted in 199 successful applicants, expected to connect 800,000 more Ontarians to primary care services.
Workforce expansion and system modernization
The government’s broader health strategy includes investments in workforce growth and system modernization under its “Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care” framework.
Primary care teams bring together a range of health professionals—including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, and dietitians—under one roof. The model is intended to improve early diagnosis, chronic disease management, and overall patient outcomes while reducing strain on hospital emergency departments.
Ontario is also advancing a provincewide Primary Care Medical Record system aimed at improving coordination of care and reducing administrative burdens for clinicians.
The province has made additional efforts to expand its workforce, including easing licensing requirements for U.S.-trained health professionals. In 2025 alone, more than 2,300 nurses and over 570 physicians from the United States chose to practise in Ontario.
Since 2018, Ontario has added nearly 20,000 physicians, including a more than 14 per cent increase in family doctors.
Local impact highlighted by Ottawa MPP
Government officials say the impact of the plan is already being felt at the community level.
“The Primary Care Action Plan is already making a meaningful difference for families across Ottawa, including in my riding of Carleton, by improving access to timely, reliable care,” said George Darouze, MPP for Carleton. “By connecting more people to primary care providers and expanding team-based services, our government is helping ensure residents can get the support they need close to home and when they need it most.”
As Ontario continues to expand access, the province maintains that sustained investment and system reforms will be critical to meeting its 2029 goal of universal primary care coverage.