Ontario is Investing Nearly $8.1 Million to Enhance Access to Primary Care

              NEWS               February 15, 2023

Lindsay – Today MPP Laurie Scott announced the provincial government is providing $8.1 million in new annualized base funding to enhance access to primary care in key regions of the province. This funding will support various interprofessional primary care organizations, including 18 Family Health Teams (FHTs), 2 Community Health Centres (CHCs) and 2 Nurse Practitioner Led-Clinics (NPLCs), to continue the deliver of high-quality care that Ontarians know and deserve.

The City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team (CKLFHT) will receive up to $109,825 in prorated additional base funding for the 2022-2023 Funding Year, annualizing to up to $439,300 in additional base funding for the 2023-24 Funding Year, to enhance access and support the delivery of quality interprofessional primary care in our community. This will bring the maximum available base funding to $3,928,240 for the 2022-23 Funding Year and $4,257,715 for the 2023-24 Funding Year.

“Increasing provincial funding for CKLFHT will directly support the residents of our community through the addition of 2 Nurse Practitioners and 1 Administrative Staff”, said Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. “This is another step to providing quality health care close to home. Thank you to the CKLFHT for all they do and continue to do to help our residents”.

“On behalf of the board, staff, physicians, and community, we applaud Ontario Ministry of Health’s recognition for support toward team-based primary health care, and specifically, toward the community of Kawartha Lakes where there is a continued need for health care services for the unattached population,” says Aasif Khakoo, Executive Director for the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team. “A very special thank you to MPP Scott for her tireless support to the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team, and the constituents of Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes and Brock. Like many communities across Ontario with similar demographics, our community needs a continued infusion of resources toward strengthening primary care for all residents in the region, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and integrated healthcare professionals. Today’s announcement is a strong and positive step forward for the community.”

“Primary Care is the foundation of our health care system and our government is committed to ensuring Ontarians can connect to primary care closer to home,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This funding for the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team will help ensure the Kawartha Lakes community has access to the health care they need, where and when they need it.”