Primary Care Access in Ontario

2.5M+

Ontarians Without a Doctor

Estimated unattached patients

~178K

On Official Waitlist

Health Care Connect registrants

93%

Demand Invisible

Not on any centralized registry

Sources: Ontario College of Family Physicians (2024), Office of the Auditor General of Ontario (December 2025).

The Family Doctor Shortage in Ontario

Primary care access in Ontario has reached a critical point. More than 2.5 million Ontarians currently lack a regular family doctor, and that number continues to grow as physician retirements outpace new graduates entering family practice (OCFP, 2024). The province faces the largest access gap in Canada, with projections suggesting 1 in 4 residents could be unattached by 2026 if trends continue (OMA, 2024).

Why clinics pause intake: Family doctors can only safely manage a limited panel of patients—typically 1,200 to 1,800 people. When that capacity is reached, clinics must close intake to maintain care quality for existing patients. Understanding family doctor intake status is essential—it changes frequently and varies by clinic. A practice that was closed yesterday might open tomorrow if circumstances shift.

The family doctor waitlist in Ontario continues to grow as demand outpaces supply. The official Health Care Connect program has approximately 178,000 registrants actively waiting (Auditor General of Ontario, 2024), but millions more search informally by calling clinics directly. This creates a dual waitlist—one official, one invisible—where patients compete for the same limited slots.

Clinic intake challenges affect both patients and practices. Many clinics rely on voicemail to communicate their status, but voicemail provides information without offering any path forward. Callers who hit voicemail often call back repeatedly, try alternate numbers, or call the same clinic again—the demand just moves around without being reduced. Staff spend hours answering the same questions instead of supporting patient care. Learn how clinics can reduce new-patient calls while still serving their communities.

Why family doctors are hard to find in Canada—and Ontario specifically—comes down to systemic factors: accelerating retirements, administrative burden driving physicians away from comprehensive practice, fewer graduates choosing family medicine, and an aging population with increasingly complex care needs (CMA, 2024). These forces compound each other, creating a shortage that cannot be solved by training more doctors alone.

Why It's Hard Specifically in Ontario

Ontario's family doctor shortage is not just part of a national trend—it's the largest in absolute terms and among the fastest-growing. Several factors make the province's situation uniquely challenging. For patients navigating this landscape, our guide on finding a family doctor in Ontario provides practical steps.

Physician Retirements Are Accelerating

According to an Ontario Medical Association survey, 52% of primary care doctors identified themselves as approaching retirement age and either thinking of or planning to retire within five years (OMA, October 2024). This represents a significant portion of the workforce exiting at the same time.

Research from INSPIRE-PHC cited by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario indicates that 15% of Ontarians—approximately 1.7 million people—who currently have a comprehensive family practitioner may lose them to retirement by 2025 (CPSO Dialogue, 2024).

The Shortage Is Growing Rapidly

According to the Ontario College of Family Physicians, 2.5 million Ontarians—approximately 17% of the population—currently lack a regular family doctor (OCFP, July 2024). This number has increased by 400,000 since 2020 and continues to grow by roughly 160,000 people every six months.

Projections from the Ontario Medical Association suggest that without intervention, 4.4 million Ontarians (1 in 4) could be without a family doctor by 2026 (Global News, January 2024).

Rural and Northern Ontario Face Even Greater Challenges

The shortage is not evenly distributed. Communities in northern Ontario are actively recruiting 350+ physicians, including over 200 family doctors (OMA, 2023). An estimated 50% of northern Ontario physicians are expected to retire within the next five years.

Geographic isolation compounds the problem: approximately 670,000 Ontarians live more than 50 kilometers from their family doctor. While roughly 22% of Canadians live in rural or remote areas, fewer than 10% of physicians practice there (CIHI, 2024).

Fewer Graduates Are Choosing Comprehensive Family Medicine

The pipeline of new family doctors is not keeping pace. In 2024, 108 of 560 family medicine residency spots in Ontario went unfilled in the first matching round—up from 103 in 2023, 61 in 2022, and just 30 in 2020 (CBC News, April 2024).

Among those who do complete family medicine training, only 15% choose comprehensive primary care—the type of practice that maintains a full patient panel (CPSO Dialogue, 2024). Many are opting for focused scopes like sports medicine, palliative care, or hospitalist work.

Key Ontario Statistics at a Glance

2.5 million Ontarians without a family doctor (OCFP, 2024)
52% of primary care doctors considering retirement in 5 years (OMA, 2024)
108 unfilled family medicine residency spots in 2024 (up from 30 in 2020)
670,000 Ontarians live 50+ km from their family doctor
350+ physician positions open in northern Ontario alone

Systemic Causes Behind the Shortage

The family doctor shortage is not simply a matter of too few graduates. It reflects deeper structural issues in how primary care is organized, funded, and valued in Ontario.

Administrative Burden on Family Doctors

Ontario family physicians spend approximately 19 hours per week on administrative tasks—roughly 40% of their total work time (OCFP, 2024).
Canadian family physicians collectively spend 18.5 million hours per year on administrative work, equivalent to 55.6 million lost patient visits (CFIB, 2023).
Nearly 60% of physicians report that administrative burden contributes to worsening mental health (CMA, 2021).

Changing Practice Patterns: Niche vs. General Practice

The proportion of Ontario family doctors in focused practice (emergency, hospitalist, addictions) has grown from 7.7% in 1993 to 19.2% in 2022—a 2.5x increase over 30 years (Annals of Family Medicine, 2025).
Nationally, nearly 30% of family physicians (9,506 doctors) now practice predominantly outside comprehensive primary care (CIHI, 2024).
Among new family medicine graduates, only 15% choose comprehensive primary care—the type of practice that maintains a full patient panel.

Population Ageing and Chronic Care Demand

Ontario's senior population (65+) is projected to grow from 2.6 million in 2020 to 4.2 million by 2040—a 60% increase (U of T/OHA, October 2024).
The number of Ontarians with major chronic illness is expected to grow from 1.8 million to 3.1 million by 2040—from 1 in 8 adults to 1 in 4 (CMAJ, 2021).
Ontario currently has 1.74 million patients attached to family physicians aged 65 and older—meaning their doctors are themselves approaching retirement (ICES, June 2025).

How Primary Care Waitlists Work in Ontario

Ontario's primary care system is decentralized. Clinics operate independently, making their own decisions about when to accept new patients. There is no provincial system that assigns patients to doctors or manages intake centrally.

Health Care Connect and Ontario's Attachment Plans

Health Care Connect is Ontario's official service that helps residents without a family doctor or nurse practitioner find one accepting new patients. Registration is free and can be done online or by phone. However:

Only about 178,000 of the 2.5 million unattached Ontarians are registered
Wait times vary significantly by region—some areas have no available providers
Many clinics manage their own informal waitlists independently

Ontario's Primary Care Action Plan aims to attach everyone on the Health Care Connect waitlist by Spring 2026 and expand primary care teams—though meeting this target remains challenging given current supply constraints.

Why Clinics Open and Close Intake

Each family doctor can safely manage a limited panel of patients—typically 1,200 to 1,800 people. When that capacity is reached, accepting more patients would compromise care quality for everyone. Clinics close intake not because they don't want to help, but because they're already at capacity.

Intake status changes when circumstances change: a new physician joins, an existing doctor retires, a doctor reduces hours, or panel management frees up slots. These changes are unpredictable and clinic-specific.

Why Patients Hear "Not Accepting" Repeatedly

With 2.5 million people searching for care, clinics that are accepting patients fill their slots quickly—often within days or weeks. At any given time, the vast majority of clinics are not accepting new patients simply because capacity is limited across the entire system.

What Patients Can Do When Clinics Aren't Accepting

There is no guaranteed path to finding a family doctor quickly in Ontario. However, these steps can improve your chances and reduce frustration:

Register with Health Care Connect

Ontario's official program attempts to match unattached patients with available doctors. Registration is free and ensures you're in the system even if wait times are long. Register online at ontario.ca.

Explore Community Health Centres

CHCs serve specific populations and geographic areas. They often have capacity when private practices don't, and provide team-based care including nursing, social work, and dietitian services.

Use Walk-In Clinics for Immediate Needs

While not a substitute for a family doctor, walk-in clinics and urgent care centres can address acute issues while you continue your search.

Check Intake Status by Area

Availability varies significantly by region. Rather than calling the same clinics repeatedly, focus on areas where openings are more likely. Intake alerts can notify you when nearby clinics begin accepting patients.

For a comprehensive guide to the search process, see understanding primary care waitlists in Ontario.

Challenges Unique to Ontario Regions (Urban/Rural)

Access to primary care varies dramatically across Ontario's geography:

Urban Areas (GTA, Ottawa, Hamilton)

More clinics available, but longer waitlists due to population density
Walk-in clinics more accessible for acute care
Competition for open spots is intense—clinics fill quickly
Public transit makes it easier to explore options in adjacent neighbourhoods

Rural and Northern Ontario

Fewer clinics overall, sometimes only one in a community
670,000 Ontarians live 50+ km from their family doctor
Northern communities actively recruiting 350+ physicians
When capacity opens, waits may be shorter due to smaller population
Telemedicine increasingly important for ongoing care

Our guide to finding a family doctor includes region-specific tips for both urban and rural patients.

How ClinicHub Helps Ontario Residents

ClinicHub is designed to help primary care clinics manage new-patient intake calls—without affecting how existing patients reach the clinic.

Handles intake calls only

Existing patients continue calling your regular number. Only new-patient intake inquiries are managed by ClinicHub.

SMS guidance for callers

When intake is closed, callers receive clear information via SMS—including nearby alternatives and next steps.

Clinic stays in control

Clinics set their own intake status and messaging. ClinicHub doesn't make decisions—it communicates what you've decided.

Reduces repetitive calls

By providing clear answers and next steps, ClinicHub reduces callback loops and repeat inquiries.

For more on how ClinicHub works, see our guide on clinic intake management.

Official Ontario Primary Care Resources

In addition to ClinicHub, the Ontario government and professional bodies maintain official directories and services to help patients find primary care.

Health Care Connect

Ontario's official service that helps residents without a family doctor or nurse practitioner find one accepting new patients in their area.

Visit Health Care Connect

CPSO Doctor Search (Physician Register)

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario maintains a public register of all licensed physicians, including their practice location and specialty.

Search the CPSO Register

Ontario Health Services Directory

A provincial directory of healthcare services including walk-in clinics, urgent care centres, community health centres, and other primary care options.

Browse Health Services

Frequently Asked Questions About Primary Care in Ontario

How many people in Ontario don't have a family doctor?

Estimates suggest that more than 2.5 million Ontarians currently lack a regular family doctor. This number has been growing as physician retirements outpace new graduates entering primary care.

What is Health Care Connect and how does it work in Ontario?

Health Care Connect is Ontario's official service that helps residents without a family doctor or nurse practitioner find one accepting new patients. Registration is free and you can sign up online or by phone. Wait times vary by region.

Why is it hard to find a family doctor in Ontario in 2025?

Multiple factors contribute: 52% of primary care doctors are considering retirement in 5 years, fewer medical graduates are choosing comprehensive family medicine (only 15%), administrative burden consumes 19 hours per week, and Ontario's population is aging with increasing chronic care needs.

Why do clinics stop accepting new patients?

Clinics pause intake when their existing patient panels are at capacity. Family doctors can only safely manage a limited number of patients (typically 1,200-1,800). When that threshold is reached, accepting more would compromise care quality for everyone.

Is there a provincial waitlist system in Ontario?

Ontario's Health Care Connect is a voluntary registry that attempts to match unattached patients with available doctors. However, many patients never register, and many clinics manage their own informal waitlists independently.

How often does clinic intake status change?

Intake status can change at any time—sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly. A clinic that was closed yesterday might open tomorrow if a physician joins, retires, or adjusts their panel. There's no fixed schedule.

Does availability differ by region in Ontario?

Yes, significantly. Urban areas like Toronto often have long wait times but more options. Rural and northern Ontario may have fewer clinics overall but sometimes shorter waits when capacity opens. Availability is highly local.

How does ClinicHub help without replacing clinic staff?

ClinicHub handles only new-patient intake calls when a clinic isn't accepting patients. Existing patients call the same number as always. Staff focus on in-clinic work rather than answering repetitive intake inquiries.

Learn more about primary care access in Ontario through these in-depth guides:

Looking for Care in Ontario?

Join the ClinicHub patient beta to receive intake alerts when clinics in your area begin accepting new patients.

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