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OCFP welcomes continued commitment to strengthening access to family physicians in Ontario’s 2026 Budget
(Toronto, ON) — March 26, 2026 — The Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) congratulates the Government of Ontario on the release of the 2026 Budget and welcomes the government’s continued commitment to strengthening access to primary care for patients across the province.
Ensuring every Ontarian can access a family physician remains one of the most effective ways to improve patient health outcomes and strengthen Ontario’s broader health system. The OCFP welcomes the government’s continued focus in this area and recognizes the progress made through recent investments to expand access to primary care and support family physicians in delivering care.
The creation of a provincewide Primary Care Medical Record System and overall funding increase for the Primary Care Action Plan are impactful steps to streamline workflows and enhance high quality care for patients across Ontario. The OCFP looks forward to working with government and partners to ensure the system is designed to meet the needs of family physicians and their patients.
“Family physicians are the backbone of Ontario’s health care system,” said Deepy Sur, CEO of the Ontario College of Family Physicians. “We are encouraged to see the government reinforce its commitment to strengthening primary care and ensuring more Ontarians have a family physician. These investments are an important step toward improving access to care for patients and supporting family physicians in delivering that care.”
The Ontario College of Family Physicians remains committed to working with the government to build on investments in Budget 2026 and support solutions that help transform how family physicians work and allow them to free up more time for patient care.
To build on this momentum and ensure family physicians can focus on delivering care while patients are not left waiting for answers about their health, the OCFP supports the government’s intensified efforts to implement a centralized referral system for specialist appointments and diagnostic testing so patients can access the care they need.
Together, these solutions will fundamentally improve how care is delivered in Ontario and ensure patients can access timely, coordinated care across the system.
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The Ontario College of Family Physicians represents more than 18,000 family physicians and medical students, including residents and retired family physicians, and advocates for policies that strengthen access to family physicians and improve health outcomes for patients.
Media Contact:
Yara Salama
Director of Strategic Communications, OCFP
media@ocfp.on.ca