There is an ongoing primary care provider shortage in Ontario, impacting every region across the province;
A significant number of Ontarians face language barrier when seeking health care, and do not have a family doctor who speak their languages;
The lack of primary care is forcing residents to rely on emergency rooms for basic medical needs, contributing to the overburdening of our hospitals and emergency rooms;
Over 2.2 million Ontarians do not have a family doctor, and that number is expected to increase to 4.4 Million by 2026.
We call on this government to:
- Guarantee everyone in Ontario has access to a primary care provider
- Increase investment in primary care in the next provincial budget
- Expand primary care options in areas with service gaps by investing in primary care, as well as non-profit and public health clinics
- Make it easier for internationally trained doctors and nurses to work in Ontario’s health care sector
- Cut the administrative burden on family doctors to make the profession more attractive
- Ensure the government will cover translation fees for minority language-speaking groups