The Ontario government has 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.
The $250-million investment is part of the government’s $3.4-billion Primary Care Action Plan, as the province works 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.”
The province says nearly 90 per cent of people in Ontario are connected to a primary care provider. Since 2025, Ontario has launched two previous rounds of funding for new and expanded primary care teams, resulting in 199 successful applicants connecting 800,000 more people to primary care across the province. Residents 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 new call for proposals. Physicians, primary care teams and other partners interested in applying are encouraged to connect with their local Ontario Health Team or Primary Care Network, while Indigenous partners can connect directly with the Ministry of Health.
“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.”
Since 2018, Ontario has added more than 20,000 additional physicians to its health-care workforce, including an increase of more than 14 per cent in family doctors. The province says it is also making it easier for U.S.-licensed nurses and board-certified physicians to move to and practise in Ontario; in 2025, more than 2,300 nurses and more than 570 doctors from the U.S. chose to practise in the province.
“Family physicians are the bedrock of Ontario’s health-care system, and connecting more patients to family doctors and primary care teams will improve access, strengthen continuity of care and lead to better health outcomes for all Ontarians,” said Dr. Rebecca Hicks, president of the Ontario Medical Association.
“We recognize the primary care teams and professionals across the province who are doing the work every day to expand access and respond to the needs of their communities,” said Jess Rogers, CEO of the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario. “They are ready to grow, innovate, and do what they do best: care for more people.”
“When we support family physicians, we help enable them to provide better care for patients with increasingly complex needs,” said Dr. Eric Wong, president of the Ontario College of Family Physicians.
“Registered nurses and nurse practitioners are key to making this vision a reality,” said Dr. Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario.
