Ontario’s Family Doctor Shortage: Positive Signs Under Premier Ford

Centrum Pharmacy has long been at the forefront of bringing physicians to Orleans, Ontario, ensuring that local patients have timely access to primary care. Now, recent developments suggest that provincial efforts are finally starting to make a measurable difference.

For years, Ontario’s shortage of family doctors has made headlines. Many residents remain without a family physician, while existing doctors face high practice costs, administrative burdens, and burnout. Initially, Premier Doug Ford’s government announced a $1.8 billion, four-year plan to provide family doctors for two million Ontarians, a move that was met with skepticism.

But results are beginning to show. In June 2025, the government approved 130 proposals to expand or create new medical clinics, enough to meet its first-year target of serving 300,000 additional patients. The plan for the next three years is ambitious, aiming to add 500,000 patients in year two and 600,000 in each subsequent year.

Key to this progress is the provincial government’s collaboration with the Ontario Medical Association (OMA). Recent negotiations are making family practice more financially attractive, with measures such as:

• Payment for administrative work, averaging $80 per hour for approximately 20 hours per week.
• Higher service fees and after-hours premiums.
• Financial incentives to accept new patients.

Combined with expanded training positions for family doctors, these initiatives aim to make Ontario one of the best-paying provinces for family physicians. Early data suggest that these changes are also attracting physicians from the United States, with 261 U.S.-based physicians registering in Ontario so far in 2025 — a notable increase compared to last year.

Centrum Pharmacy welcomes these developments. More family doctors mean better access, reduced wait times, and a stronger, more connected primary care network for Orleans residents. Our team remains committed to supporting patients in navigating primary care access, helping them connect with physicians as quickly as possible.

While there’s still work to be done, Ontario’s coordinated approach — combining financial incentives, expanded clinic capacity, and recruitment strategies — signals a promising path forward for primary care.

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