Summary
Across Canada, provinces and territories are executing historic primary care expansions to tackle the family doctor shortage. Through brand-new medical schools, record university seat expansions, and dedicated residency positions, governments are actively building a sustainable pipeline of new family doctors to ensure long-term care for all Canadians.
Many Canadians in the past few years have received the stressful news that their family doctor is retiring or closing their practice. We know firsthand how unsettling that feels. Navigating healthcare without a dedicated family physician who knows your history, listens to your concerns, and coordinates your care can feel overwhelming, lonely, and frankly, frightening.
When you’re searching for a new doctor, hearing about “healthcare shortages” in the news only adds to the anxiety. But we want to share something truly encouraging with you today: the tide is turning.
Behind the headlines, every single province and territory across Canada is taking historic, decisive action to fix this crisis. Governments are building brand-new medical schools focused exclusively on family practice, expanding university class sizes to record levels, creating community-based residency spots, and streamlining pathways for foreign-trained physicians.
While building a doctor pipeline takes time, real solutions are actively underway across the country. Here is a look at the positive steps happening in every province and territory, and what it means for you and your family.
The Highlights Across Canada
Ontario: Unprecedented Scale & A Dedicated Family Medicine School
Ontario is executing the largest primary care training expansion in its history.
- Canada’s First Family-Focused Medical School: The province is investing $55.8 million to build the new York University School of Medicine in Vaughan. Opening in 2028, it will focus specifically on training primary care and family doctors, creating 80 undergraduate and 102 residency seats dedicated to general practice.
- Expanding Existing Universities: Ontario is adding 340 new undergraduate seats and 551 postgraduate residency positions across its medical schools by the 2028–29 academic year. This move is projected to increase family medicine graduates by 67% as these expansions reach full capacity.
- $3.4 Billion Action Plan: Supported by a multi-year strategy, funding is flowing directly into community health teams, teaching clinics, and nurse practitioner positions so more patients get connected to care faster.
British Columbia: New Schools & A Revolution in Doctor Retention
BC isn’t just expanding medical seats; it’s completely changing how family doctors are supported.
- SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine: Based in Surrey, Simon Fraser University is launching Western Canada’s first new medical school in nearly 60 years. Designed around general practice and community care, students will begin hands-on clinical training in community settings right from month one.
- New Payment Models: BC launched the Longitudinal Family Physician (LFP) model, which compensates family doctors fairly for their time and complex patient care. The result? Family practice is now one of the most popular residency choices for new grads.
Alberta: Historic Funding & Community Training Hubs
Alberta is making a massive financial commitment to strengthen primary care capacity.
- Record $7.7 Billion Investment: As part of Budget 2026, Alberta allocated a historic $7.7 billion for physician services, including $450 million dedicated strictly to recruitment, education, and primary care training.
- Targeted Rural Hubs: Seat expansions at the University of Alberta and University of Calgary are paired with regional hubs, ensuring new doctors train in rural and underserviced communities where they are needed most.
Saskatchewan & Manitoba: Growing Local Talent & Fast-Tracking IMGs
The Prairie provinces are focusing on home-grown physicians and streamlined pathways for foreign-trained doctors.
- Saskatchewan: The province invested $31.1 million to expand the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine, adding 20 undergraduate seats and 10 family residency positions. Plus, 95% of seats are reserved for local residents, ensuring graduates stay and practice right at home.
- Manitoba: The University of Manitoba expanded its medical class size to a record 140 seats and doubled its Physician Assistant training program to 30 seats. Manitoba is also leading the way in fast-tracking international medical graduates (IMGs) into family practice clinics.
Quebec: Hundreds of New Family Practice Positions
- Expanding Residency Capacity: Quebec added 24 new residency spots, bringing total postgraduate training capacity to 1,008 positions, with 554 reserved specifically for family practice.
- Focus on Working Conditions: The province and medical faculties are actively restructuring practice models and administrative rules to make general practice more sustainable and appealing for new graduates.
Atlantic Canada: Regional Campuses & Community Practice
The Atlantic provinces are working closely with regional universities to train doctors directly within local communities.
- Prince Edward Island: PEI launched its first-ever local MD training pipeline in partnership with Memorial University! The new regional campus at UPEI reserves 20 seats per year specifically for PEI residents, so students can complete their medical training on the Island.
- New Brunswick: The province invested $77 million to expand Francophone medical training at the Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick (U de Moncton/U de Sherbrooke), bringing Moncton to parity with Saint John (80 total pre-doctoral seats combined) and expanding residency capacity.
- Nova Scotia & Newfoundland: Nova Scotia expanded Dalhousie residency spots and set up community training hubs in Cape Breton and the South Shore. Newfoundland & Labrador expanded Memorial University’s medical school to 90 seats with a significant number (determined annually) reserved strictly for NL residents.
The Territories: Growing Northern Pipelines & Collaborative Care
While Northern territories do not host full independent four-year medical campuses, they are pioneering localized primary care training partnerships:
- Yukon: In partnership with the University of Alberta, the Yukon Medical Association, the Yukon physician community and the Yukon Hospital Corporation, two additional resident physicians will complete a significant portion of their training in the Yukon, including one Yukoner starting in July 2026. The expanded pilot will support about 3,800 patient appointments in 2026–27 while helping train practice‑ready physicians in Yukon.
- Yukon, NWT, and Nunavut: Backed by nearly $2 million from The Government of Canada, Training facilities will be upgraded across 87 northern municipalities and Indigenous communities.
- NOSM University Targets: The Northern Ontario School of medicine is growing medical students from 64 to 108 and incoming residents from 60 to 123 by 2028.
Summary: How Each Region is Investing in Your Care
| Province / Region | What’s Happening in Training & Expansion | The Goal for Patients |
| Ontario | York Univ. Family Med School ($55.8M); +340 undergrad & +551 residency seats. | 67% increase in family doctor grads; connecting everyone to primary care. |
| British Columbia | SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine; modern LFP payment model. | Early community-embedded training; making family practice attractive again. |
| Alberta | $450M allocated for recruitment/education within $7.7B budget. | Rural training hubs; expanded panel support for family practice clinics. |
| Saskatchewan | +20 undergrad seats & +10 residency spots ($31.1M total investment). | 95% provincial resident admission quota to maximize local retention. |
| Manitoba | Max Rady class raised to 140; +30 family medicine residency positions. | Expanded Physician Assistant seats (30) & faster integration for foreign doctors. |
| Quebec | Expanded residency capacity to 1,008 positions (554 family practice). | Reforming administrative workloads to attract graduates into general practice. |
| New Brunswick | +8 undergrad & +8 residency spots at U de Moncton ($77M total). | Equalizing Francophone and Anglophone training capacity across the province. |
| Nova Scotia | Dalhousie residency expansion; new Cape Breton clinical training sites. | Team-based care hubs and minimum nurse-to-patient ratios to ease workloads. |
| PEI | New UPEI regional medical campus in partnership with Memorial Univ. | First local MD training program in PEI history; training local Islanders. |
| Newfoundland & Lab. | Expanded MUN Faculty of Medicine intake to 90 seats. | 79 seats reserved strictly for NL residents to build a self-sustaining workforce. |
| The Territories | Expanded Northern residency tracks with U of A, U of C, and NOSM Univ. | Hands-on rural/Northern clinical immersion to encourage long-term retention. |
What This Means for You Right Now
We understand that reading about future medical graduates doesn’t instantly fill the gap if you need a prescription renewed or a check-up next week. The transition period while these programs scale up takes patience.
However, seeing these investments should give you real peace of mind. The family doctor shortage is not being ignored. Governments, universities, and health authorities across Canada have recognized that primary care is the foundation of our healthcare system, and they are funding real, permanent solutions so that Canadian get the care they deserve.
A Few Proactive Steps You Can Take Today:
- Keep Your Medical Records Safe & Organized: If your doctor has recently closed their practice, ensuring you have a complete copy of your personal health history is one of the most powerful steps you can take for your ongoing care. Having your records ready ensures your next doctor can step in without missing a beat.
- Register with Your Provincial Health Registry: If you’re looking for a new doctor make sure you are officially listed on your province’s primary care matching list (e.g., Health Care Connect in Ontario, Health Connect Registry in BC, 811 Need a Family Practice in Nova Scotia).
- Explore Collaborative Health Teams: Many newly expanding clinics utilize Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, and family health teams who can take on new patients immediately.
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