Ontario invests $8.4M to expand primary care in Markham and Stouffville
The Ontario government is investing more than $8.4 million this year to expand access to primary care in Markham and Stouffville, helping connect up to 23,000 residents with a family doctor or primary care provider.
The funding is part of the province’s Primary Care Action Plan, which aims to ensure every Ontarian has access to a publicly funded family doctor or primary care team by 2029.
The investment will support the Health For All Family Health Team and Carefirst Family Health Team, two primary care organizations that provide care through teams of physicians, nurses, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists and other health professionals.
“Our government continues to take bold and decisive action to grow the province’s highly skilled health-care workforce and ensure people have access to high-quality care close to home,” said Paul Calandra, MPP for Markham-Stouffville. “This investment will support the Health for All Family Health Team as it continues to provide vital care and services to residents across our region. This is part of our plan to strengthen Ontario’s health care system.”
Health For All Family Health Team provides comprehensive primary care, including acute, chronic and preventive health services. Its clinicians also offer expertise in areas such as palliative care, geriatrics, home visits, low-risk obstetrics and global health.
“I’m pleased to see this $8.4 million investment coming directly into our local community. Through support for Carefirst Family Health Team and Health for All Family Health Team, more residents in Markham-Thornhill will gain access to timely, high-quality primary care. This is an important step our government is taking to help ensure families in our community can connect to the care they need, close to home,” said Logan Kanapathi, MPP for Markham–Thornhill.
Carefirst Family Health Team serves southern York Region and Toronto through a multidisciplinary model that integrates primary care with home and community support services, senior care and local health partners. The organization says its neighbourhood health home approach is designed to deliver more connected, culturally responsive care closer to where people live.
“Our government is making it easier for more residents in our community to connect with a family doctor and primary care team closer to home,” said Billy Pang, MPP for Markham-Unionville. “This investment will help reduce wait times, improve access to care, and ensure more families can get the quality healthcare they need, when they need it.”
Both Health For All Family Health Team and Carefirst Family Health Team will establish a process for accepting new patients and will share details with the local community.
The two organizations received funding through the latest round of the province’s Primary Care Action Plan. Across Ontario, 124 primary care teams are expected to connect an additional 500,000 patients with primary care, with priority given to residents currently without a provider, including those on the Health Care Connect wait-list.
The province says it has increased total funding for the Primary Care Action Plan to $3.4 billion between 2025 and 2029. It also reported surpassing its 2025–26 target by connecting 345,000 patients to a primary care provider by March 31, 2026, exceeding its goal of 300,000.
Ontarians looking to find a family doctor or nurse practitioner can register with Health Care Connect or call 811.
Photo: MPPs Paul Calandra, Billy Pang and Logan Kanapathi are joined by other local dignitaries at the recent Primary Care Action Plan funding announcement.