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Ontario Investing an Additional $1,296,348 to Expand Primary Care Workforce in Thunder Bay

  • Feb 24
  • 4 min read

Investment will add 433 health-care workers to local primary care teams as part of Ontario’s $2.1 billion Primary Care Action Plan


News Release | February 24th, 2026

THUNDER BAY — The Ontario government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to protect Ontario’s health-care system by investing $30 million to expand the province’s primary care healthcare workforce. This new funding will upskill over 1,400 registered nurses for primary care, create 170 primary care nurse practitioner education seats and add up to 150 physician assistant education seats as part of the government’s $2.1 billion Primary Care Action Plan to connect everyone in Ontario to primary care by 2029

 

“Our government is continuing to take bold action to further protect Ontario’s world-class health-care workforce now and for years to come,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By increasing the number of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, while upskilling registered nurses, we are taking one more step towards our goal of ensuring everyone can connect to primary care.”

 

In Thunder Bay, this includes creating 5 new primary care nurse practitioner education seats at Lakehead University. This expansion will create more nurse practitioners in Ontario working in primary care, enabling faster and easier access for families across the province. 


“Access to primary care is essential for the health and well-being of families across Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario. By expanding education seats and investing in new training opportunities at Lakehead University, our government is helping to grow a stronger local workforce that can meet the needs of our communities. “said The Hon. Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay – Atikokan “By expanding local training and creating new opportunities here at home, we are supporting the next generation of health care professionals and strengthening care for our community for the long term.”

 

“This investment is important news for Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario. Expanding five new Nurse Practitioner education seats at Lakehead University, along with funding for an innovative primary care upskilling program for registered nurses. When students learn and train in our region, they are more likely to build their careers here, improving access to primary care in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.” said Dr. Gillian Siddall, President and Vice Chancellor, Lakehead University. ”We are proud to partner with the Ontario Government to grow a highly skilled, locally rooted health workforce that meets the needs of Northwestern Ontario.”

 

In addition, to support the recruitment and retention of nurses in primary care, Ontario is investing $1,129,500 at Lakehead University for a new, innovative program that will help registered nurses gain skills and experience in primary care, including:

 

• chronic disease management

• cancer screening

• maternal and child care

• immunization

 

“Today’s investment builds on our government’s critical work to protect Ontario’s health-care workforce today, and into the future,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “This new upskilling program and seat expansions will ensure that Ontario continues to have highly skilled workers to connect more people across the province to compassionate health care, close to home.”

 

Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government continues to take bold and decisive action to grow the province’s highly skilled health-care workforce and ensure people and their families have access to high-quality care, closer to home, for generations to come.


QUICK FACTS

 

  • The primary care upskilling program for registered nurses is a 12-week program that

provides additional education and training to support working in primary care settings. Upon

completion, registered nurses will receive a certificate from the program.


  • Since the launch of the government’s $2.1 billion Primary Care Action Plan, Ontario has

already attached over 275,000 new patients to a primary care provider, putting the province

on track to meet or exceed its target of connecting 300,000 new people to care in 2025-26

and every Ontarian to a primary care provider by 2029.\


  • The government is investing in the largest medical school education expansion in more than

a decade by adding 340 undergraduate seats and 551 postgraduate positions by 2028-29,

representing a 67 per cent increase in family medicine graduates.

 

  • Nurse practitioners have an expanded scope of practice and can diagnose, order and

interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe medications and perform specific procedures, making

them essential in primary care environments.

 

  • Since 2018, Ontario has added over 100,000 new nurses and nearly 20,000 additional

physicians to its health-care workforce, including an over 14 per cent increase in family

doctors.

 

  • Ontario is taking significant steps to strengthen its health-care workforce by making it easier

for U.S.-licensed nurses and board-certified physicians to move to and practise in Ontario. In

2025, over 1,700 nurses and more than 450 doctors from the US have already chosen

Ontario.

 

  • In August 2025, the Ontario government invested $56.8 million to train 2,200 more nurses

for communities across the province.


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