Press Release: Ontario Government, April 30, 2026.
FERGUS -On April 30, 2026, Matthew Rae, MPP for Perth-Wellington, and Joseph Racinsky, MPP of Wellington-Halton Hills, announced that the Guelph Wellington Ontario Health Team will receive $4,479,600 through the Primary Care Action Plan to help connect an additional 12,800 patients to a primary care team.
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.
“Connecting everyone to primary care has been a priority for our government, especially in rural areas. Today’s announcement will build on the progress we’ve already made and will connect thousands of residents in Wellington County to the primary care they need.”-Said the MPP of Wellington-Halton Hills, Joseph Racinsky.
“This investment will connect more than 12,000 people to primary care, closer to home,” said MPP Matthew Rae. “Access to a primary care provider should be simple and this funding delivers for rural communities in Wellington North, Minto, and Mapleton.”
The $4,479,600 investment into the Guelph Wellington Ontario Health Team will be dispersed between the Family Health Teams (FHT) in the region: Guelph Family Health Team, Mount Forest Family Health Team Inc., Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team, East Wellington Family Health Team, Upper Grand Family Health Team, Guelph Community Health Centre.
The Family Health Teams and Community Health Centre receiving funding will act quickly to recruit healthcare professionals to attach more patients. Those without a family doctor or seeking to obtain one closer to home may add their name to the Healthcare Connect list, which is the primary method to attach patients to a new primary care provider.
“This investment is a transformative step towards improving the health of the residents of Guelph Wellington. Through strong collaboration across our primary care partners, we are now positioned to connect every resident in Guelph Wellington to high-quality, team-based primary care – ensuring people receive the right care, at the right time, close to home. This funding validates the strength of our collaborative model. By building on our existing high-performing primary care teams, we can rapidly expand access, reduce inequities, and deliver more connected, person-centred care for the people of Guelph Wellington. This funding allows us to turn our vision to achieve 100% primary care attachment across Guelph Wellington” Stated Emmi Perkins, Director of Transformation for the Guelph Wellington Ontario Health Team.
Information about how to find a primary care provider can be found at https://guelphwellingtonoht.com/
The Guelph Wellington Ontario Health Team were funded through the latest call for proposals under the Primary Care Action Plan. All 124 teams that received funding across Ontario are expected to connect an additional 500,000 patients to primary care.
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.
“The Upper Grand Family Health Team is thrilled to receive this significant provincial investment to support primary care attachment in our local region. Access to a primary care provider close to home is a critical part of helping residents navigate their healthcare journey and receive the care they need, when they need it. This funding will allow the Upper Grand Family Health Team to establish the first Nurse Practitioner-led primary care clinic in our local area, strengthening access to team-based, interdisciplinary healthcare services for our communities.” Said Hilary Blackett, the Executive Director for the Upper Grand Family Health Team.
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 throughout Wellington County, 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.
