Ontario says it is on track to connect every resident to a primary care provider by 2029 as it marks one year of progress under its $2.1-billion Primary Care Action Plan.
The Ministry of Health says more than 275,000 people have already been attached to a primary care provider since the plan launched, putting the province on pace to meet or exceed its target of connecting 300,000 new patients to care in 2025-26. The initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to protect Ontario’s health-care system and expand access to regular care.
“Our government is protecting Ontario’s health-care system and leading the country with investments that give Ontarians the highest rate of access to a regular health-care provider in Canada,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made in the first year of our plan as we continue to take bold action to connect every Ontarian to care and help more people live fuller, more active lives.”
The province established the Primary Care Action Team, led by Dr. Jane Philpott, on Dec. 1, 2024, with a mandate to ensure every Ontarian is connected to primary care by 2029. That work was followed by the launch of the Primary Care Action Plan on Jan. 27, 2025, backed by what the government describes as a historic provincial investment of $2.1 billion.
As part of the plan, Ontario set out to clear the Health Care Connect waitlist beginning Jan. 1, 2025. The ministry says the waitlist has now been reduced by more than 75 per cent, as new investments and initiatives continue to expand access to high-quality care across the province.
“Together we are building a primary care system that is comprehensive, convenient and connected for every person in Ontario,” said Dr. Jane Philpott, Chair of Ontario’s Primary Care Action Team. “With historic investments and strong collaboration, Ontario is making real progress toward ensuring that everyone has timely access to a family doctor, nurse practitioner or primary care team close to home.”
The government says progress under the plan is being driven by significant investments to expand and strengthen interprofessional primary care teams, accelerate the recruitment and licensing of health professionals, and broaden scopes of practice for regulated providers such as pharmacists. Ontario has also pointed to expanded medical education capacity, including new medical schools and additional training positions, as a key step toward growing the future health-care workforce.
According to the province, these measures are helping Ontario maintain its position as a national leader in access to regular primary care, while working to close remaining gaps and connect millions more residents to care over the coming years.
