Yesterday was a big day in Ontario.

The government introduced the Primary Care Act — a 6-point framework outlining what every person in the province should be able to expect from their primary care system. If passed, it would be the first legislation of its kind in Canada — and incredibly, it directly reflects the six statements from the OurCare Standard, created from the voices of thousands of people across the country.

The Act puts forward a bold, patient- and public-centred vision for primary care. It begins with a clear statement: that every person in Ontario should have ongoing access to a primary care clinician or team.

Guaranteeing access to primary care might sound like a dream — but in other parts of our public system, it’s already reality.

When my kids started school, I didn’t have to wonder if they’d get in. I didn’t have to cold-call principals or hope a teacher would take them on. Their spots were guaranteed. That’s how we’ve chosen to organize public education in Canada: a system that ensures every child has a place.

But when it comes to primary care? We’ve left it up to chance 🎲 —or assertivness.

Too many people in Canada are left without a family doctor or any regular source of care. In most provinces, we ask individual doctors to open a clinic, hire staff, cover overhead, and provide care to hundreds or thousands of patients — all while running a small business.

We don’t ask teachers to build schools and figure out where they’re needed. So why are we asking doctors to build clinics and hope they land in the right place?

👉 In this week’s episode of Primary Focus, I talk with Dr. Rita McCracken about what primary care could learn from the way public schools are organized.

Listen Here

🎥 Here’s a short video sneak peek of Dr. McCracken where she speaks frankly about what we are currently asking family doctors to shoulder:

If we want a system that guarantees access to care, we need to create that guarantee — not leave it to individual effort.

What if primary care were treated as a right — with clear expectations about what services are offered, how quickly you can get an appointment, and how care is organized in your community?

Ontario’s Primary Care Act is a major step forward — and a sign that we’re finally beginning to organize primary care as what it truly is: an essential service, a fundamental right, and something that should be guaranteed for everyone — just like public education.

Listen to the Episode

A few ways you can join the conversation:

💬 Got an idea for a future episode? Email me at primary.focus@unityhealth.to🗳️ Take the OurCare Survey to share your experiences with primary care🌐 Subscribe to this newsletter and forward it to someone who cares about fixing primary care

Before you go — do you have 10-15 minutes? Take the new OurCare Survey!

In 2022, nearly 10,000 Canadians shared their stories about primary care. Their feedback shaped the OurCare Standard — a clear outline of what we should expect from the system.

Now we want to hear from you. How does your care measure up? Your input will help researchers like me — and help all of us hold governments accountable to deliver the system we need.

Take the Survey

With hope,Tara

Dr. Tara KiranHost, Primary Focus