$837,000 to Connect 1,250 People to Primary Care

November 6, 2026

NORTH BAY – Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing, announced that the Ontario government is taking the next steps to deliver its $3.4 billion Primary Care Action Plan, which is on track to connect everyone in the province to a family doctor or primary care team by 2029. As part of this plan, the Near North Family Health Organization is receiving $837,300 to create a new Family Health Team that will connect up to 1,250 people to primary care in North Bay and Callander.

“The Nipissing Community has been calling for increased government support for primary care, and today we’re answering that call with an $837,000 investment to address attachment pressures,” said MPP Vic Fedeli. “The Near North Family Health Organization is working hard to provide local families with better access to high-quality health care services, closer to home.”

While Ontario continues to lead the country with nearly 90 per cent of people connected to a primary care provider, the province has set clear goals to connect every person to primary care by 2029. Residents in Nipissing and across Ontario are encouraged to get connected to primary care by registering through Health Care Connect at Ontario.ca/healthcareconnect.

“The establishment of the Near North Family Health Team represents an important milestone for primary care in North Bay and the Nipissing region. This investment will allow us to expand access to interdisciplinary, team-based care, bringing additional healthcare professionals and services together to better support our patients, improve health outcomes, and increase our capacity to attach more patients who currently do not have a family physician. While this is an exciting achievement, we see it as just the beginning. Our vision is to continue growing and expanding the programs and services available through the Family Health Team, while creating a supportive, collaborative environment that helps us recruit and retain family physicians in our region. Our long-term goal is to establish the Near North Family Health Team as a comprehensive primary care hub for North Bay and the Nipissing area, improving access to care and building a stronger, more sustainable healthcare system for the communities we serve.” – Dr. Blackadar, Lead Physician, Near North FHO.

The government announced Dr. Jane Philpott as the chair of its Primary Care Action Team in October 2024 with a mandate to connect every Ontarian to primary care by 2029. Building on this appointment, Ontario established the Primary Care Action Plan in January 2025 to connect approximately two million more people to primary care, supported by the province’s historic investment of more than $3.4 billion. Through this plan, the government previously launched two rounds of funding for new and expanded primary care teams, resulting in 199 successful applicants for new and expanded interprofessional primary care teams to connect 800,000 more people to primary care across the province. Building off this momentum, the province launched its latest call for proposals to create or expand approximately 78 primary care teams, helping connect 600,000 more people to care.

“As we work to connect everyone to primary care by 2029, our government is protecting Ontario’s health-care system by investing in new and expanded primary care teams in Ontario communities, including North Bay and Callander, that will keep families healthier while relieving pressures on emergency departments,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Our Primary Care Action Plan is delivering real results, putting us firmly on track to connect everyone in the province to primary care by 2029.”

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

Now in its second year, Ontario’s $3.4 billion Primary Care Action Plan has made significant progress, already connecting more than 511,000 additional people to a primary care provider. More than 470,000 people have been cleared from the Health Care Connect waitlist since January 2025, bringing provincial wait times down to their lowest levels in over a decade.
One hundred and twenty-four successful applicants will receive 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.
The government is investing in the largest medical school education expansion in more than a decade by adding 340 undergraduate seats and 551 postgraduate positions by 2028-29, representing a 67 per cent increase in family medicine graduates per year.
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.

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