Ontario Connecting More Patients to Primary Care in Kitchener

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2. Quick Facts
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KITCHENER - Premier Doug Ford visited Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo in Kitchener, which is one of nearly 200 teams across Ontario being funded through the province's $3.4 billion Primary Care Action Plan to connect everyone in the province to a family doctor or primary care team by 2029. Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo received over $1 million as part of the 2025-26 call for proposals under the Primary Care Action Plan and began attaching patients to care in August 2025. Since then, the team has already connected nearly 3,000 patients, which is equivalent to almost 140 per cent of its overall target of 2,115 patients.

"We're investing record amounts in health care across Ontario, building hospitals, training more doctors and nurses than ever before and connecting patients to convenient primary care in their community," said Premier Ford. "Here in Kitchener, these investments are helping more people get the care they need when and where they need it. I want to thank all of our incredible partners in the community who are helping make this possible as we work to connect everyone in the province to a family doctor, nurse practitioner or primary care team by 2029."

Through its Primary Care Action Plan, the province is funding three primary care teams in the Kitchener region that have already connected nearly 7,700 patients to care. In addition to Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo, the province is also funding:

• Waterloo Region Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic
• New Vision Family Health Team

Together, these organizations are receiving over $3.2 million in provincial support and have already attached nearly 98 per cent of their primary care targets. Residents in Kitchener and across Ontario can get connected to primary care by registering through Health Care Connect at ontario.ca/find-family-doctor-or-nurse-practitioner.

"As we continue working 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 Kitchener, that will keep families healthier while relieving pressures on emergency departments," said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. "We encourage those looking for a new primary care clinician to sign up for Health Care Connect, the fastest and most seamless way to get connected to a family doctor, nurse practitioner or primary care team."

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 momentum, Ontario established the Primary Care Action Plan in January 2025, which will connect approximately two million more people to primary care by 2029, supported by the province's investment of more than $3.4 billion.

Through the plan, the government has 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.

"Investments in primary care teams like Community Healthcaring, the Waterloo Region Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic and New Vision Family Health Team are connecting thousands of families to primary care in Waterloo Region," said Mike Harris, MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga. "Connecting people with family doctors, nurse practitioners and care teams means better access to care, where and when it is needed, and less pressure on local emergency rooms. I want to thank our local primary care teams for being leaders in their dedication and for the important role they play in our community."

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

Quotes

"Our government's continued investment in our region ensures we stay focused on reducing waitlists and more people in the Kitchener-Waterloo area have access to primary care. Our community has a strong network of dedicated health-care professionals, and this funding builds on their ability to expand their reach, providing timely and comprehensive care to those who need it most."

- Jess Dixon
MPP, Kitchener South-Hespeler

"People in Cambridge and across our region deserve timely, convenient access to primary care close to home, and that's exactly what these investments are helping deliver. Seeing local primary care teams already connect thousands of patients to care is encouraging progress toward our goal of ensuring every Ontarian has access to a family doctor, nurse practitioner or primary care team by 2029."

- Brian Riddell
MPP, Cambridge

"Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo is deeply grateful for the opportunity to lead primary care expansion alongside the KW4 Ontario Health Team, Family Health Organizations and Family Health Teams across our community. Through this investment, we have connected more than 3,000 people to primary care, while strengthening trusted relationships, collaborative partnerships and pathways to care that will continue to benefit our community well into the future. This funding has enabled us to reach individuals who may otherwise have remained without access to primary care and the benefits of comprehensive, team-based services. Beyond connecting people to care, this investment is helping us collectively build a stronger, more connected and sustainable primary care system in Kitchener-Waterloo. We are incredibly appreciative of the government's investment and confidence in this work. Together, we are strengthening our local health system, improving access to care and creating meaningful, lasting impacts for the people and communities we serve."

- Tara Groves-Taylor
Chief Executive Officer, Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo

Additional Resources

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