$1.5 million grant will help connect people with health professionals in Oakville, Burlington, Milton

The Ontario government is investing more than $1.5 million to connect people to primary care teams in Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills.

This is part of Ontario’s $110 million investment to connect up to 328,000 people to primary care teams.

“This investment in Oakville’s primary care through Support House reflects our commitment to ensuring every resident has access to the care they need,” said Oakville MPP Stephen Crawford.

“This investment will significantly grow our primary care capacity in Oakville and serve nearly 4,000 residents in our community. I am proud and optimistic for our community as we advance towards connecting all Ontarians to quality primary care.”

Ontario currently leads the country with 90 percent of people connected to a regular health care provider, according to the province. As a next step to close the gap for people not connected, the province is supporting the expansion of interprofessional primary care teams in Oakville.

“Access to supportive housing is a serious need facing many communities across Ontario, and including in Oakville,” said Oakville-North Burlington MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos.

“Our government’s investment in primary care through Support House will significantly grow our primary care capacity in Oakville and ensure more people have access to quality primary care”

Interprofessional primary care teams connect people to a range of health professionals who work together under one roof, including doctors, nurse practitioners, registered and practical nurses, physiotherapists, social workers and dietitians, among others.

Timely access to primary care helps people stay healthier for longer with faster diagnosis and treatment, as well as more consistent support managing their day-to-day health while relieving pressures on emergency departments and walk-in clinics.

In addition to other investments to expand medical school spots and efforts to break down barriers so highly-skilled internationally-trained doctors can care for people in Ontario, Ministry of Health modelling shows these initiatives will help connect up to 98 per cent of people in Ontario to primary care in the next several years.

“People who are unhoused with complex mental illness, substance use and other medical concerns are not well served by existing healthcare service delivery models,” said Paul Gregory, executive director of Support House.

“This funding will expand and enhance the unhoused population’s access to primary care, which will help improve people’s health outcomes.”