$1,202,900 investment brings the province one step closer to connecting everyone in Ontario to
primary care by 2029
DRYDEN — 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.
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 $2.1 million this year to connect up to
2, 980 people to primary care in Dryden.
“This is a testament to the leaders, staff and the various departments that continue to shape and
grow the healthcare systems that are responsive to our region,” said Greg Rickford, Member of
Provincial Parliament for Kenora-Rainy River. “Through this funding, we are making sure that
our government is there to support Dryden Regional Health Centre in a meaningful way.”
The Primary Care Action Plan funding will be used in collaboration with Mary Berglund
Community Health Center in Ignace, and the Points North Family Health Team in Vermilion Bay
to expand access to care. Dryden Regional Health Centre will establish a process to accept new
patients and will communicate this to their local community.
The Dryden Regional Health Centre was 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, including those on the Health Care
Connect waitlist.
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.
“We are extremely grateful for these provincial investments in healthcare announced by Minister
Rickford. These funds will help to ensure that more patients are able to access care for patients
in the North. The Primary Care Action Plan funding will be used in collaboration with Mary
Berglund Community Health Center in Ignace, and the Points North Family Health Team in
Vermilion Bay to connect more patients in our catchment area with nurse practitioners, mental
health services, diabetes management, nursing services, and traditional healing.
We deeply appreciate the ongoing support of Minister Rickford for recognizing the importance of
strengthening hospital and healthcare services across Northwestern Ontario. These
investments are fundamental to help sustain and expand patient care services to meet the
unique needs of the communities we serve.”
– Doreen Armstrong-Ross MBA, HBScN, RN, CEO and President
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 Dryden 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.
QUICK FACTS
- 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.