Ontario Connecting 6,400 People to Primary Care in North Grenville

KEMPTVILLE — As part of its Primary Care Action Plan to connect everyone in Ontario to a publicly funded family doctor or primary care team by 2029, the Ontario government is investing $2,605,100 this year to connect up to 6,400 people to primary care in North Grenville and surrounding communities.

Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, made the announcement today with John Jordan, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health, and the partners involved in the Kemptville Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic (NPLC) and Primary Care Hub.

“I want to thank the many community health-care partners involved in this clinic proposal for their vision, hard work, and advocacy with me to make today’s amazing news announcement possible,” said MPP Clark. “Connecting 6,400 patients to a primary care provider is a promise made and promise kept and builds on the record funding our government is providing to our local hospitals. I’m proud to deliver these investments and remain committed to continue working to improve healthcare services in Leeds and Grenville.”

The Kemptville NPLC will open at the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Health Centre, in the building across from KDH’s Emergency Department, sometime late this year. This fully integrated hub links primary care, hospital, community, and social supports. Partners involved include Kemptville Health & Wellness Centre, Kemptville Medical Centre, Rideau Crossing Family Health Centre, Seniors Community Services, Beth Donovan Hospice, Leeds and Grenville Community Paramedics, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health, KDH, CHEO, Ottawa NPLC, and Municipality of North Grenville.

The Kemptville NPLC will be established as its own corporation, governed by a volunteer board of directors, and aims to start recruitment efforts in the coming months. The NPLC team kindly asks the public not to contact its partners to register as new patients; those wishing to access future services are encouraged to register with Health Care Connect. The primary care hub will share updates with the public as more information becomes available.

MPP Clark said Katie Hogue, KDH Vice-President of Nursing/Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive, and Dr. Colby Burns were co-leads on the proposal which was supported by the Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team.

The Kemptville NPLC and Primary Care Hub was funded through the latest call for proposals under the Primary Care Action Plan, with 124 teams receiving funding expected to connect another 500,000 patients to primary care across Ontario. Each team has established a plan to attach a high proportion of unattached people in their community, including those on the Health Care Connect waitlist.

Through the 2026 Budget, the province is also increasing overall funding for the plan to a total of $3.4 billion between 2025 and 2029.

“I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our primary care hub partners for being part of the journey that led us here today. The Kemptville NPLC will have a new clinic on the KDH campus, which will include five new primary care nurse practitioners, in addition to a full team of other allied health like social work, patient navigation, mental health, dietician, and nursing. The model is incredibly unique; it’s not just a new standalone clinic – it’s a primary care hub. This purpose-built collaborative model includes the existing three local family health organizations, and other community partners, so that those with an existing provider will also have access to team-based care. By working together, we’re breaking down silos to care, partnering between sectors – including the hospital – to build a truly integrated local health system. What started as an idea, and by working together and overcoming challenges collaboratively, led to expanding access to team-based primary care for thousands of people. This was truly a team effort, and I can’t thank our partners enough for their support! We’re so grateful to the province and Primary Care Action Team, led by Dr. Jane Philpott, for this essential investment that will continue to improve the health of the communities we serve,” said Katie Hogue, KDH VP of Nursing/Clinical Services & Chief Nursing Executive and co-lead of the proposal. 

“I’d like to thank my dedicated co-lead, Katie Hogue, for her leadership, and all my physician colleagues, the clinic managers and their team members for supporting the proposal. The primary care hub will provide our patients with access to interdisciplinary care with allied health services, such as dietary and social supports. This wraparound model of care will benefit our patients, and the people attached to primary care through the Kemptville NPLC,” said Dr. Colby Burns, co-lead of the proposal.

“The collaborative approach taken by our North Grenville partners in shaping this innovative primary care program reflects their deep commitment to the community. By bringing together local clinicians, organizations, and community voices, they’re creating a program grounded in the unique needs of the people they serve. This work demonstrates how strong local partnerships can help build a more connected and sustainable primary care system close to home,” said Nadia Prescott, Executive Lead Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team.

“Kemptville District Hospital is proud to partner with the Kemptville NPLC and Primary Care Hub. We strongly believe that equitable access to care is essential, and as our community continues to grow, it is more important than ever to build strong local and regional partnerships that create a more integrated health system for everyone. Today’s announcement is an important step forward in improving access to primary care close to home and in building a healthier future for our community,” said Erin Bonokoski, Chair of KDH Board of Directors.

“This investment in a Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic is incredibly welcome news for North Grenville. Access to primary care is one of the most pressing challenges facing our community and we are genuinely thrilled to see it coming forward. I want to thank Minister of Health Sylvia Jones and our MPP Steve Clark for their strong support, as well as Kemptville District Hospital, our local clinics, and all partners involved for their leadership – this is a game-changing step toward ensuring residents can access the care they need, close to home,” said Nancy Peckford, Mayor of North Grenville.

The province has exceeded its 2025-2026 attachment goal under the Primary Care Action Plan, which was to connect 300,000 patients to a primary care provider by March 31, 2026. As of January 1, 2026, the province has already attached 330,000 people to care in 2025-2026, surpassing its goal by more than 30,000.

“Through our Primary Care Action Plan, we are connecting more people to care and have already exceeded our 2025-26 attachment target,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By connecting more families to care in Leeds and Grenville, our government is taking the next step toward connecting everyone in the province to primary care by 2029.”

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

• Ontario’s Primary Care Action Team is drawing on best-in-class models of care to implement its action plan, supported by the government’s investment of more than $3.4 billion to connect approximately two million more people to primary care by 2029, which will achieve the government’s goal of connecting everyone in the province to primary care.
• The government is making significant progress on its goal of clearing the Health Care Connect waitlist as of January 1, 2025. That waitlist has been reduced by more than 87 per cent as the plan continues to hit its targets and deliver faster access to high-quality care.
• Ontarians looking to find a family doctor or nurse practitioner can register with Health Care Connect or call 811.
• Interprofessional primary care teams connect people to a range of health professionals that work together under one roof, including family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, registered practical nurses, physician assistants, physiotherapists, social workers, dieticians and pharmacists, helping patients to receive more connected and convenient care.
• Since 2018, Ontario has added nearly 20,000 additional physicians to its health-care workforce, including an over 14 per cent increase in family doctors.