Proposals to Connect 600,000 More People to Primary Care

New $250 million investment is the next step in the government’s $3.4 billion plan to connect everyone in Ontario to primary care by 2029

the Ontario government launched its next call for proposals to create and expand approximately 78 primary care teams that will connect 600,000 more people to a primary care provider. This $250 million investment is part of the government’s $3.4 billion Primary Care Action Plan, as the province remains on track to connect everyone in Ontario to a family doctor or primary care team by 2029.

“As we continue to make progress in connecting every person in Ontario to primary care by 2029, today’s launch of the next call for proposals brings us even closer to achieving our target,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By attaching 600,000 more Ontarians to primary care, we are protecting our health-care system and making it easier for people to access the care they need.”

Ontario continues to lead the country with nearly 90 per cent of people connected to a primary care provider and is making historic investments to connect every person to primary care by 2029 through its plan to add or expand over 300 new primary care teams. Since 2025, the province has launched two previous rounds of funding for new and expanded primary care teams, resulting in 199 successful applicants that are connecting 800,000 more people to primary care across the province. Residents across Ontario can get connected to primary care by registering through Health Care Connect at Ontario.ca/HealthCareConnect.

Communities across Ontario are eligible to apply for funding through the next call for proposals. Physicians, primary care teams and other partners interested in applying are encouraged to connect with their local Ontario Health Team (OHT) or Primary Care Network (PCN), while Indigenous partners can connect directly with the Ministry of Health, for more information.

“Ontario continues to be on track to attach everyone to a family doctor or primary care team, and this next call for proposals is another important step forward,” said Dr. Jane Philpott, Chair of the Primary Care Action Team. “By supporting the creation and expansion of primary care teams across the province, we can connect hundreds of thousands more people to the comprehensive, team-based care they need and continue delivering high-quality health care, close to home.”

Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government continues to take bold and decisive action to grow the province’s highly skilled health-care workforce and ensure people and their families have access to high-quality care, closer to home, for generations to come.

Quick Facts

• The government established the Primary Care Action Team, led by Dr. Jane Philpott on December 1, 2024, with a mandate to connect every Ontarian to primary care by 2029.
• Ontario Health Teams (OHT) and Primary Care Networks (PCN) will continue to have a strong role in supporting this process by ensuring local collaboration to meet the needs of their communities.
• One hundred and twenty-four successful applicants received funding for a new or expanded primary care team as part of the 2026-27 call for proposals under the Primary Care Action Plan. These teams are expected to connect another 500,000 patients to primary care across Ontario, including those on the Health Care Connect waitlist.
• Since 2018, Ontario has added over 20,000 additional physicians to its health-care workforce, including an over 14 per cent increase in family doctors.
• Ontario is taking significant steps to strengthen its health-care workforce by making it easier for US-licensed nurses and board-certified physicians to move to and practise in Ontario. In 2025, over 2,300 nurses and more than 570 doctors from the U.S. chose to practise in Ontario.