TORONTO — Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced Tuesday that Ontario will open a new call for proposals in September to create or expand approximately 78 primary care teams with more than $250 million in provincial spending.The funding is expected to connect 600,000 more people to a family doctor or primary care team. It forms part of the government’s $3.4 billion Primary Care Action Plan, which aims to add more than 300 new teams and connect two million more people by 2029.Since the plan launched in early 2025, over 437,000 people have been attached to primary care. Ontario currently leads the country with nearly 90% of residents connected to a primary care provider.A 2025 national survey by OurCare found that 81% of Canadian adults report having a regular family doctor or nurse practitioner, while an estimated 5.9 million adults still lack regular primary care. Ontario ranked among the highest provinces in that survey..The new teams will be interprofessional, potentially including family doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers and other health professionals. Jones said the latest round brings the province “one step closer to connecting every Ontarian to primary care.”The Ontario Medical Association has previously estimated that 2.5 million Ontarians still lack a family doctor. Jones maintained the government remains on track to meet its 2029 target.Jones also highlighted progress on mental health and addictions through Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hubs, continued land ambulance funding of more than $1 billion (an average 9% increase over 2025), and a further 1% base funding increase for public health units.Municipal leaders attending the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa heard the announcement as part of broader discussions on community health services.
