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The Ontario government is investing over $6 million into primary care in Waterloo region, in an effort to connect more residents with primary health-care providers.
Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris said 17,444 more people in the region will be able to access a primary health-care provider with this investment.
“It means that 17,000 of your friends, neighbours, family will have an opportunity to be connected to primary care,” Harris said.
Harris made the announcement at a news conference Monday hosted by Community Healthcaring KW in Kitchener. He said it’s important to have health-care support that is consistent.
“When you have a family doctor, you’re not waiting for an emergency room for something that could have been caught earlier,” Harris said. “And of course, what’s most important … is that people aren’t falling through the cracks.”
‘A consistent point of care’
Almost 80,000 people in Waterloo region are currently without a primary health-care provider, according to the region’s research, said Benjamin Hesch, CEO of the Woolwich Community Health Centre.
“It’s such an important opportunity as we look at expanding access to [health-care] teams,” Hesch said. “A lot of the folks we serve need a little bit of extra help accessing care and these teams will help us make sure we can.”
The money will be distributed to 124 healthcare centers and initiatives across the region based on submitted proposals for increasing health-care access for community members. This includes Woolwich Community Health Centre, Community Healthcaring KW and the KW4 Ontario Health Team which represents over 40 initiatives in the area.
Local officials and health-care professionals from Waterloo region pose for a photo at the Community Healthcaring KW center in Kitchener, Ont. on April 27, 2026. MPP Mike Harris announced the investment of $6 million from the provincial government toward primary health care. (Emma Breton/CBC)
This adds to last year’s $4.1 million in funding for primary health-care services in the region.
Heather Bullock is the new executive director of the KW4 Ontario Health Team. She said this money will translate to shorter wait times, broader and comprehensive care and equitable access to health care for marginalized communities.
“We know how important it is for families to have a consistent point of care. Someone who knows their story, their health history and is part of their community,” Bullock said. “This is not just a win for health-care providers though, it’s a win for every resident in this region.”
Province-wide push
This is part of an Ontario-wide push from the provincial government to increase access to primary care physicians.
In February 2024, Ontario’s Primary Care Action Plan was announced with an investment of $110 million. The province has since invested $3.4 billion and achieved its first goal of connecting over 300,000 people with health-care providers by March 2026.
Harris says this is the next step to the government’s goal of all Ontario residents having a primary care provider by 2029. He was joined at the press conference by mayors of Waterloo, Woolwich and Wellesley, and Waterloo Regional chair, Karen Redman.
“Here in Waterloo region, we know the demand for primary care continues to grow,” Redman said. “Primary care is the foundation of a strong and effective health-care system and when people can get care close to home … they’re healthier and the pressure across the broader system is reduced.”