The Ontario government announced a $5,126,700 investment on May 15, 2026, to help connect up to 13,687 residents in the Cornwall and SDG region to primary care providers. This funding is part of a larger provincial effort to address the fact that over 20,000 people in the Great River region currently lack a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
The provincial funding will be managed by the Seaway Valley Community Health Centre. This initiative is being delivered through a collaborative effort with the Centre de santé communautaire de l’Estrie, the Glengarry Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic, and the Rideau St. Lawrence Family Health Team. These organizations will work together to provide care through an interprofessional approach, which includes doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, and other specialists.
This latest investment builds on a $4 million boost for primary care in the region that was first announced in February 2024. The provincial government is delivering this money through its Primary Care Action Plan, which has allocated $3.4 billion across Ontario between 2025 and 2029 to connect residents to health services.
Officials noted that priority for these new patient attachments will be given to vulnerable populations, including lower-income individuals, youth, those who are precariously housed, and new Canadians. While thousands of residents have already registered with the province to find a doctor, many others remain without a primary care provider and often rely on emergency departments for basic medical needs.
The Great River Ontario Health Team is coordinating the local approach to ensure these services reach those who need them most. As of January 1, 2026, the province reported that it has already attached 330,000 people to primary care across Ontario, exceeding its initial goal for the 2025-2026 period.
