Video – Ontario Connecting 5,000 More People to Primary Care in Northumberland 

$2,222,300 investment brings the province one step closer to connecting everyone in Ontario to primary care by 2029

The Ontario government is taking the next steps to deliver its Primary Care Action Plan, which is on track to connect everyone in the province to a family doctor or primary care provider by 2029.

On April 27, 2026, David Piccini, MPP, Northumberland-Peterborough South announced at the Community Health Centres of Northumberland, that as part of this plan to connect everyone in Ontario to a publicly funded family doctor or primary care team, the Ontario government is investing more than $2.2 Million to connect 5,000 people to primary care in Northumberland County.

“This investment is about delivering real results for people here in Northumberland,” said David Piccini, Member of Provincial Parliament, Northumberland-Peterborough South. “By connecting to 5,000 more residents to primary care, we’re improving access to care across the region and building a stronger, more resilient local health system. It also supports the incredible healthcare workers on the front lines, giving them the tools and team-based resources they need to continue delivering high-quality care close to home.”

The Northumberland County Primary Care Network (PCN) of the Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N) came together throughout the Fall of 2025 with a shared goal of attaching patients and expanding interprofessional services for Northumberland County.

The Community Health Centres of Northumberland (CHCN), Trent Hills Family Health Team (THFHT), and Northumberland Family Health Team (NFHT) with an expansion of services to Ganaraska Family Health Organization and Cobourg Family Health Organization were funded through the latest call for proposals under the Primary Care

Action Plan, with all 124 teams receiving funding expected to connect another 500,000 patients to primary care across Ontario. Each team has established a plan to attach a high proportion of unattached people in their community, with a priority of those on the Health Care Connect waitlist.

All of the funded organizations deliver unique services that support residents in Northumberland County. With the support of family physicians and nurse practitioners, they will formally attach an additional 5,000 patients and extend access to interprofessional, team-based primary care to more than 15,000 residents who were previously without it.

These teams are working with our provincial partners at Health Care Connect to attach new and local patients to a family physician or nurse practitioner.

Through the 2026 Budget, the province is also increasing overall funding for the plan to a total of $3.4 billion between 2025 and 2029.

LOCAL TEAM QUOTES:

“This investment demonstrates what can be achieved when partners across the health system unite around a shared commitment to improving access to care. Expanding interprofessional primary care teams will connect more residents to continuous, high-quality care while strengthening the health system as a whole. It marks an important step forward for Northumberland County.”

– Susan Walsh President and CEO Northumberland Hills Hospital, and Co-Chair of OHT-N Collaboration Council

“Team-based primary care is one of the most effective ways to improve access and the patient experience. By building on existing team-based care and expanding capacity through collaboration we can attach more people to care while also supporting providers. This approach helps create a more connected system for our community”.

– Ed Ganon, Executive Director Lakeview Family Health Team and Co-Chair OHT-N Collaboration Council

“As a physician, I see firsthand the impact that access to primary care has on patients’ health and well-being. This investment will allow more people to be connected to a primary care team where they can receive preventative care, manage chronic conditions and build ongoing relationships. It also reinforces our ability to work as interprofessional teams, improving both patient outcomes and provider capacity across the system.

– Dr. Fraser Cameron, Physician Lead, Ontario Health Team of Northumberland

The province has also exceeded its 2025-2026 attachment goal under the Primary Care Action Plan, which was to connect 300,000 patients to a primary care provider by March 31, 2026. As of January 1, 2026, the province has already attached 330,000 people to care in 2025-2026, surpassing its goal by more than 30,000 with three months still to go.

“Through our Primary Care Action Plan, we are connecting more people to care and have already exceeded our 2025-26 attachment target,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By connecting more families to care in Northumberland, our government is taking the next step toward connecting 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.

· Ontario’s Primary Care Action Team is drawing on best-in-class models of care to implement its action plan, supported by the government’s investment of more than $3.4 billion to connect approximately two million more people to primary care by 2029, which will achieve the government’s goal of connecting everyone in the province to primary care.

· The government is making significant progress on its goal of clearing the Health Care Connect waitlist as of January 1, 2025. That waitlist has been reduced by more than 87 per cent as the plan continues to hit its targets and deliver faster access to high-quality care.

· Ontarians looking to find a family doctor or nurse practitioner can register with Health Care Connect or call 811.

· Interprofessional primary care teams connect people to a range of health professionals that work together under one roof, including family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, registered practical nurses, physician assistants, physiotherapists, social workers, dieticians and pharmacists, helping patients to receive more connected and convenient care.

· Since 2018, Ontario has added nearly 20,000 additional physicians to its health-care workforce, including an over 14 per cent increase in family doctors.

“I want to thank the Province for taking this step. Connecting more Northumberland residents to team-based primary care is key to improved health outcomes for our community. This investment reflects the strength of leadership and collaboration among local health care partners, and a shared commitment to improving access to care. Expanding team-based services will enhance the patient experience and build a more integrated, responsive health system for residents across Northumberland.”

Bob Crate, Warden, Northumberland County