Toronto, ON – July 19, 2024 – The Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) applauds the Ontario government’s recent announcement to connect up to 49,000 Toronto residents to primary care teams. This initiative is a significant step towards ensuring that more Ontarians have access to high-quality, comprehensive primary care services. This announcement follows a number of recent announcements regarding primary care team expansion in other communities in the province. 

The NDP Leader site visit sparked an insightful discussion about advocating for increased funding to support existing healthcare providers and attract physicians to clinics like Health Access Taylor Massey (HATM). This is due to the ever-increasing demand for quality healthcare services and the existing shortage of healthcare professionals directly impacting patient care and outcomes.

March 27, 2024 

Urgent action is required by Ontario government to address worsening staffing crisis in Ontario’s community health sector

Associations representing over 200,000 workers in community health respond to 2024 Ontario Budget 
 

TORONTO, ON – Today, a coalition of Ontario’s community health care associations responded to Ontario’s 2024 Budget. 

After a year of advocacy on funding to expand and enhance access to team-based primary care, AFHTO's advocacy efforts have proven successful as the Ontario government announces a $546 million investment in primary care, aiming to connect up to 600,000 individuals to primary care teams. This afternoon, Ontario’s Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy presented the budget which highlighted the government's commitment to new investments aimed at increasing access to team-based primary care. 

After months of advocacy with both the federal and provincial governments, AFHTO is pleased to let our members know of a new agreement that will see new investment of $3.1 billion into Ontario’s health care system. This investment includes significant funding to increase access to primary care through creating new primary care teams and boosting access to family doctors and nurse practitioners. Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed the deal that details how the province must spend $3.1 billion in federal funding earmarked for health care.

After almost a year of advocacy on funding to expand and enhance access to team-based primary care, AFHTO's advocacy efforts have proven successful as the Ontario government announces a $110 million investment in primary care, aiming to connect up to 328,000 individuals to healthcare teams.

Dear AFHTO Members,

On behalf of the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario, I would like to share our 2024 prebudget submission with you.

TORONTO, Feb. 6, 2023 /CNW/ - The Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) is encouraging Premiers across the country, and the federal government, to strike a new Canada Health Transfer agreement that will focus on expanding team-based care and ensure that every Canadian has access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner within an interprofessional team.

On February 6, 2023 AFHTO submitted our recommendations to the government for their 2023 budget. Recommendations 1 and 2 of our 2023 pre-budget submission was done in collaboration with partners in the Primary Care Collaborative and recommendation 3 and 4 are two other recommendations AFHTO is advocating for.

The OMA and the Primary Care Collaborative have released a joint policy paper with recommendations to strengthen mental healthcare delivery in primary care.

The rate of new mental health and addiction diagnoses is increasing, exacerbated by the ongoing impacts of the pandemic. Approximately three-quarters of Canadians rely on their primary care provider to address their mental health needs, but there are longstanding system gaps that must be addressed to enhance the ability of primary care doctors to deliver mental health care.