Ontario Allocates $235 Million to Expand Primary Care Teams Across Province

The Ontario government announced on June 23, 2025, that it will allocate $235 million to create and expand more than 130 primary care teams across the province. The Ministry of Health said the goal is to connect 300,000 people to primary care this year. Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones and Dr. Jane Philpott, Chair of Ontario’s Primary Care Action Team, made the announcement at Flemingdon Health Centre in Toronto.

According to the Ministry, the funding targets communities with high numbers of residents without a regular primary care provider. The Ministry identifies areas with individuals on the Health Care Connect waitlist as underserved. The initiative is intended to increase access to family doctors and primary care teams across Ontario.

The Ministry stated that primary care teams were selected through a call for proposals, focusing on postal codes with the highest rates of unattached residents. Each team was required to submit plans to attach more patients and demonstrate readiness to achieve progress within a year.

Flemingdon Health Centre in East Toronto is among the funding recipients. The Ministry of Health reported the centre will receive over $4 million annually to help connect more than 9,600 people to primary care through the East Toronto Health Partners Ontario Health Team. The Ministry stated the centre will prioritize supporting patients with complex health needs and aims to reduce reliance on emergency services.

In addition, the Ministry said $142 million will be distributed in operational funding over three years to support the recruitment and retention of health-care workers including nurse practitioners, registered practical nurses, physician assistants, and pharmacists. The Ministry also reports that $300 million is allocated for up to 17 new and expanded primary care teaching clinics in areas with high rates of unattached patients.

As of January 2025, the Ministry reports that the Health Care Connect waitlist has decreased by over 25 per cent. The Ministry also referred to recent investments in primary care teams and noted the passage of the Primary Care Act, which, according to the Ministry, establishes primary care as the foundation of Ontario’s health-care system.

Several organizations made statements in the Ministry’s release about the investment and its focus on expanding access to primary care, especially in communities with greater need. These include the Ontario Medical Association, Ontario College of Family Physicians, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario, Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario, and the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council.

According to the Ministry, proposals not selected for funding in this round may be considered during a future call for proposals planned for September 2025.