The Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie has added three new family physicians to its staff, providing primary care to more than 3,500 local residents. The doctors arrived through the Practice Ready Ontario program, an initiative created by the provincial government and the Touchstone Institute in 2023 to help internationally trained doctors begin practicing in the province more quickly.
The three physicians, Dr. Haque, Dr. Shawon, and Dr. Adibi, joined the health centre between May and September 2025. Their arrival is helping patients transition from the centre’s temporary Access Care Clinic back to permanent primary care. The Access Care Clinic was established after the organization was forced to remove 10,000 patients from its roster in 2024 due to significant physician shortages and difficulties in recruiting new doctors.
Lil Silvano, president and chief executive officer of the Group Health Centre, noted that these additions are part of an effort to improve patient access in the community. She stated that welcoming these physicians means thousands of neighbors now have a trusted primary care home, ensuring they receive continuous care close to where they live.
Dr. Haque, who is from India and practiced in the United Arab Emirates, joined in May 2025. Dr. Shawon, originally from Bangladesh, joined in August 2025 with a background in rural and hospital medicine. Dr. Adibi, who is from Iran, arrived in Canada in 2018 and joined the centre in September 2025.
Dr. Stewart, chief executive officer and board chair of the Algoma District Medical Group, said the program has created a vital recruitment channel for the region. The Ontario College of Family Physicians also acknowledged the arrival of the new doctors as a positive step for healthcare capacity in Sault Ste. Marie.
