Ontario has opened applications for an expanded medical education stream of the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant, committing $220 million to support more than 2,000 future family doctors as the province works to strengthen access to primary care.
The Ontario Learn and Stay Grant – Medical Education program will provide financial support to eligible medical students completing family medicine residency programs in Ontario. In exchange, recipients must commit to practising as family doctors in the province for at least five years after completing their training.
Ontario Targets Financial Barriers Facing Future Family Doctors
The expanded program is designed to cover undergraduate medical school tuition, books and other direct education costs for postgraduate medical students who meet the program requirements.
“Ontario’s family doctors provide the high-quality and compassionate care that keep our families and communities healthy,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “By breaking down financial barriers for our province’s next generation of family doctors, we are strengthening Ontario’s pipeline of highly skilled physicians, ensuring everyone can access the care they need, when and where they need it.”
The Ontario Learn and Stay Grant was initially launched in spring 2023. It has supported students studying nursing, paramedicine and medical laboratory technology or science in areas of the province identified as having significant workforce needs.
Under the original model, students receive assistance with tuition, books and other direct educational expenses in exchange for a commitment to work in the region where they studied following graduation.
More Than 2,000 Medical Students to Receive Support
In 2024, Ontario announced an $88 million expansion intended to train 1,360 future family doctors who would agree to practise family medicine in communities across the province.
The government has now increased its investment to $220 million, covering four cohorts and more than 2,000 future family doctors. Eligible students must be enrolled in a postgraduate family medicine residency program at an Ontario medical school.
The four cohorts covered by the investment will begin residency between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2030.
“Today’s announcement builds on the bold action our government has taken to expand medical education and train the next generation of health-care professionals,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By expanding the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant to include family medicine, we are taking the next step in ensuring Ontario has the world-class health-care workforce it needs for years to come.”
Province Links Program to Primary Care Expansion
Ontario estimates the expanded program could help as many as two million people become or remain connected to primary care, based on average patient attachment rates for family physicians.
Nearly 90 per cent of Ontario residents are currently connected to a primary care provider, according to the province. Through its Primary Care Action Plan, the government has set a target of connecting every resident with a family doctor or primary care team by 2029.
The medical grant expansion is part of a broader effort to increase health-care training capacity. Ontario plans to add 340 undergraduate medical seats and 551 postgraduate medical residency positions by 2028-29. The province says the expansion represents a 67 per cent increase in family medicine learners.
In July 2026, the government also announced $55.8 million to support planning and operations for York University’s new School of Medicine, which is being developed with a focus on training family doctors.
Western University Highlights Regional Training
Medical schools are expected to play a significant role in placing future physicians in rural and regional communities where access to primary care can be more limited.
“Thank you to the Ontario Government for this important investment in the next generation of family physicians in the province,” said Dr. John Yoo, Dean of Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University. “This support is critical to improving access to primary care for people across Ontario. Western is proud to play a leading role in training future family doctors. We are committed to ensuring our medical students and residents have meaningful opportunities to learn and train in rural and regional communities, strengthening the physician workforce and improving access to high-quality care across Southwestern Ontario.”
Ontario has invested more than $182 million through the Learn and Stay Grant to fund the education of 13,300 future nurses, paramedics and medical laboratory technologists in high-need areas. The 2025 provincial budget also committed $261.7 million to continue supporting those health-care occupations.
The family medicine expansion adds another component to Ontario’s strategy of using education funding and service commitments to increase the supply of health professionals, with the latest investment focused on strengthening the province’s long-term family physician workforce.