FLA OHT receives $3.62 million to attach 8,500 community members to primary care

May 20, 2026

The Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Ontario Health Team (FLA OHT), through its partnership with the Maple Family Health Team, received $3.62 million from the Ontario government to attach up to 8,500 community members to a family physician or nurse practitioner by the summer of 2027. This investment is part of Ontario’s $3.4 billion Primary Care Action Plan, which aims to connect everyone in the province to primary care by 2029. The funding was awarded following the second provincial call for proposals focused on primary care capacity expansion and the growth of team-based community hubs.

This investment is a key step in the FLA OHT’s mission to ensure every resident has access to a family physician or nurse practitioner. This investment will support the recruitment of new nurse practitioners and family physicians to attach more people to care close to home. It also supports the development of a second interprofessional community hub to expand access to team-based care and help people access health professionals tailored to their specific needs. By strengthening local health teams in rural communities such as Sharbot Lake, South Frontenac, Northbrook, and Napanee, the funding will help reduce wait times and provide more comprehensive care for people in underserviced communities.

The FLA OHT and the Maple Family Health Team will connect community members to Health Homes in their own neighbourhoods through geographic attachment (“care close to home”), as space allows. People will be identified for attachment through the Health Care Connect waitlist. People without a provider are encouraged to register with Health Care Connect so they can be matched to a clinic near where they live as capacity allows.

This new investment builds on the momentum of the first round of provincial funding, which enabled the opening of the Spruce Health Hub in Kingston this past February. While originally funded to connect 3,500 people to primary care, the FLA OHT and partners exceeded their target. From April 2025 to March 2026, more than 4,250 people in the region have been attached to a family doctor.

Quotes

John Jordan, MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health
“This government is making record investments in health care and delivering on our promise to connect every Ontarian to primary care by 2029. Funding for this team-based approach will enable the Maple Family Health Team to extend its services into Frontenac, Lennox & Addington, so that residents can receive the care they need, close to home.”

Ric Bresee, MPP for Hastings – Lennox and Addington
“The FLA OHT, led by Dr. Kim Morrison, and specifically the Maple Family Health Team, led by Executive Director Ashley Miller and the Board of Directors, are to be congratulated on putting together an amazing plan for supporting our local residents in need of primary care. Working with these local teams, the province is moving forward with its commitment to make the benefits of primary care attachment a reality for everyone in Ontario.”

Dr. Kim Morrison, Executive Lead, FLA OHT
“It’s incredible what partnership can achieve. Primary care practices, Family Health Teams and Kingston Community Health Centres have come together to use this funding to make a real impact by connecting more people to team-based primary care close to home. These resources will support people living in under-served communities across the rural areas of Lennox and Addington and Frontenac Counties and throughout the City of Kingston.”

Ashley Miller, Executive Director, Maple Family Health Team
“We are incredibly proud to be part of this work and grateful for the collaboration of our partners across the region. This investment strengthens our ability to provide accessible, team-based care closer to home and reflects what is possible when organizations come together with a shared commitment to healthier communities.”

Elizabeth Bigelow, Executive Director, Sharbot Lake Family Health Team
“Rural communities face unique barriers to care, including long travel distances and limited local resources. This investment helps bring more care closer to home for our residents by strengthening our already amazing local team and expanding access to team-based primary care in our community. It means people will be able to receive more support closer to where they live, work, and raise their families.”

Quick Facts

• This investment of $3.62 million will support the attachment of 8,500 people to a doctor or nurse practitioner in the Frontenac, Lennox and Addington region by the summer of 2027.
• The funding recognizes the collective progress of primary care providers, community partners, and local agencies to expand access. Key initiatives include the opening of Spruce Health Hub, increasing attachment, and the ongoing development of our neighbourhood Health Home Framework.
• The investment will support the development of a new interprofessional community hub to expand access to team-based care across participating Health Homes.
• People will be matched to a Health Home based on proximity (“care close to home”), clinical need, equity priorities, and available space in clinics.
• During the first round of provincial funding, the FLA OHT and its partners exceeded their initial goal of connecting 3,500 people to care, successfully attaching more than 4,250 residents to a family doctor or nurse practitioner between April 2025 and March 2026.
• More than 13,000 residents were successfully connected to family doctors and nurse practitioners across the region in 2024.
• We are grateful to Ontario's momentum through the Primary Care Action Plan to connect all residents to a primary care provider by 2029.
• While the number of unattached people fluctuates, as of May 2026 there are over 8,500 people on the Health Care Connect waitlist for the Frontenac, Lennox and Addington region.
• People without a primary care provider are encouraged to register with Health Care Connect by calling 1-800-445-1822 or visiting the FLA OHT website to learn more.