More than two million dollars is being provided to help connect thousands of people to primary care in Northumberland.
On Monday, David Piccini, MPP, Northumberland-Peterborough South announced at the
Community Health Centres of Northumberland, that 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 $2.2 Million to connect 5,000 people to
primary care in Northumberland County.
“This investment is about delivering real results for people here in Northumberland,”
said David Piccini, Member of Provincial Parliament, Northumberland-Peterborough
South. “By connecting to 5,000 more residents to primary care, we’re improving access
to care across the region and building a stronger, more resilient local health system. It
also supports the incredible healthcare workers on the front lines, giving them the tools
and team-based resources they need to continue delivering high-quality care close to
home.”
The Northumberland County Primary Care Network (PCN) of the Ontario Health Team
of Northumberland (OHT-N) came together throughout the Fall of 2025 with a shared
goal of attaching patients and expanding interprofessional services for Northumberland
County.
The Community Health Centres of Northumberland (CHCN), Trent Hills Family Health
Team (THFHT), and Northumberland Family Health Team (NFHT) with an expansion of
services to Ganaraska Family Health Organization and Cobourg Family Health
Organization were 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, with a priority of those on the
Health Care Connect waitlist.
All of the funded organizations deliver unique services that support residents in
Northumberland County. With the support of family physicians and nurse practitioners,
they will formally attach an additional 5,000 patients and extend access to
interprofessional, team-based primary care to more than 15,000 residents who were
previously without it.
These teams are working with our provincial partners at Health Care Connect to attach
new and local patients to a family physician or nurse practitioner.
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.
LOCAL TEAM QUOTES:
“This investment demonstrates what can be achieved when partners across the health
system unite around a shared commitment to improving access to care. Expanding
interprofessional primary care teams will connect more residents to continuous, highquality care while strengthening the health system as a whole. It marks an important step
forward for Northumberland County.”
– Susan Walsh President and CEO Northumberland Hills Hospital, and Co-Chair of
OHT-N Collaboration Council
“Team-based primary care is one of the most effective ways to improve access and the
patient experience. By building on existing team-based care and expanding capacity
through collaboration we can attach more people to care while also supporting providers.
This approach helps create a more connected system for our community”.
– Ed Ganon, Executive Director Lakeview Family Health Team and Co-Chair OHTN Collaboration Council
“As a physician, I see firsthand the impact that access to primary care has on patients’
health and well-being. This investment will allow more people to be connected to a
primary care team where they can receive preventative care, manage chronic conditions
and build ongoing relationships. It also reinforces our ability to work as interprofessional
teams, improving both patient outcomes and provider capacity across the system.
– Dr. Fraser Cameron, Physician Lead, Ontario Health Team of Northumberland
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 Northumberland, our government is taking the next step toward connecting everyone
in the province to primary care by 2029.”
