Provincial funding to connect 4k people to primary care - including in Amherstburg

Essex MPP Anthony Leardi (centre) was in Lakeshore May 19 to make a funding announcement he said will provide access to 4,000 more people in Lakeshore, Amherstburg and Harrow. 

The Ontario government has announced funding aimed at connecting everyone in the province to a family doctor or primary care provider by 2029. 

As part of an announcement made by Essex MPP Anthony Leardi May 19 in Lakeshore, the province is investing more than $1,421,400 this year to connect up to 4,022 people to primary care in Essex County. 

That announcement has an impact on Amherstburg residents, specifically the Amherstburg Family Health Team (AFHT).

Leardi stated over 4,000 people in Essex County will have primary care thanks to the provincial government.

“That brings the grand total to 6,000 more people in Essex County since our government launched our Primary Care Action Plan. Our plan is working. As your MPP, I’m very happy to keep bringing important healthcare investments to people in Essex County,” said Leardi.

The Lakeshore Community Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, Amherstburg Family Health Team, and Harrow Health Centre Family Health Team will use this funding to collaboratively expand access to primary care across Essex County. According to a news release, the partnership will establish a process to accept new patients and will communicate this to their local community. 

Residents who are not currently attached to a nurse practitioner or family physician can enroll directly with the one of the three clinics. 

The Amherstburg Family Health Team and Harrow Health Centre Family Health team are currently enrolling patients and Lakeshore Community Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic will begin shortly with updates being posted on the clinic’s website.

“We are grateful to the government for this investment, which will help our clinics expand access to team-based primary care for residents across Essex County. This funding allows us to advance health equity by better supporting underserved communities and connecting more people to the care they need, closer to home. Together, our organizations look forward to continuing our collaboration to build a healthier community for everyone, said Lakeshore Community Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic executive director Amy Serran. 

According to the news release from Leardi’s office, the partnership of health teams 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 respective community, including those on the Health Care Connect waitlist. 

Through the 2026 provincial budget, Leardi’s office said the province is also increasing overall funding for the plan to a total of $3.4 billion between 2025 and 2029.

The province has also exceeded its 2025-2026 attachment goal under the Primary Care Action Plan, the release continued, which was to connect 300,000 patients to a primary care provider by March 31, 2026. As of Jan. 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 Essex County, our government is taking the next step toward connecting everyone in the province to primary care by 2029.”

Provincial funding to connect 4k people to primary care - including in Amherstburg

By RTT Staff