Primary care: Ford government reports progress but 2 million still unattached

The Ford government says it has added roughly 275,000 people to primary care and approved new interprofessional teams, while about two million Ontarians remained without an attached provider as of January 2026.

The Ford government says it is making progress on a plan to connect every Ontarian with a primary care provider. The plan, launched by Health Minister Sylvia Jones, includes funding for physicians, nurse practitioners and multidisciplinary teams and carries a $1.8 billion commitment. It sets a target to attach everyone in the province to primary care by 2029 and is overseen by Jane Philpott. Officials say early targets are being met as the rollout continues. Known details: - Officials reported about 275,000 people were added to primary care as of September and expected to reach a 300,000 first-year target. - The province said roughly two million people remained without an attached primary care provider as of January 2026. - In June 2025 the government approved 75 proposals representing 135 primary care teams for the first phase of the plan. - Ontario's auditor general cautioned that attachment to a clinic does not guarantee timely access to care. Summary: The government reports measurable additions to primary care capacity while a substantial number of residents remain unattached. Officials said the Health Care Connect waitlist, reported at about 234,500 in January 2025, would be cleared by September. The plan aims to attach everyone by 2029 and the rollout of funded primary health teams is the next phase of implementation.