Canadians' access to primary care depends on where they live: OurCare survey

Canadian Medical Association continues to advocate for solutions to improve access to care from coast to coast to coast

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 24, 2026 /CNW/ - While 5.8-million adults in Canada lack access to primary care, some provinces and territories are doing better than others. 

The regional OurCare survey results show that residents of three of the Atlantic provinces, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Quebec struggle the most to access primary care. In these provinces and territories, only 63% to 73% of respondents report having a regular family doctor, nurse practitioner or primary care clinic. While Ontario leads the country for access per capita, it still has about 1.5-million adults without primary care.

The regional results also found that less than one third of respondents in Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and the Territories said they could access at least one type of health record online.

"When we spoke to people across the country, they were clear that everyone deserves access to primary care no matter where they live. Our findings tell a different story," said Dr. Tara Kiran, a family physician-researcher at St. Michael's Hospital, a site of Unity Health Toronto. "We can't really talk about a single national primary care system in Canada, when what exists is a patchwork of more than 13 different systems approaching care in their own way, with each one producing a different result. We need to work together to identify the policy choices that have resulted in residents in some provinces and territories having better experiences than others."

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) continues to advocate for solutions to improve access to care, including removing barriers to immigration, reducing paperwork and enabling doctors to work when and where their patients need them.

"While family doctors work tirelessly to take care of their patients, the system isn't always optimized for them to serve patients in the way they want to," said Dr. Margot Burnell, president of the CMA. "Not only do millions of Canadians not have a primary care clinician, but many of those who do are unsatisfied with the access they have. We need to do better for everyone, no matter where they live." 

The OurCare survey points to other important regional variances:  

• Newfoundland ranks last in Canada for same or next-day access to primary care for urgent concerns, with only 19.7% of respondents with a primary care clinician claiming the ability to secure a timely appointment. British Columbia and New Brunswick lag the rest of the country for access to evening and weekend appointments at 13.8% and 11.0% respectively.
• Among people without primary care, Quebec had the highest percentage of people reporting they had to pay privately for services at 19.6%. By contrast, this number drops below 3% in B.C., New Brunswick and the Territories.
• Satisfaction with the primary care system was low across the country at 27.8% but highest in the three Territories where it ranged from 35 to 37%.

The comprehensive survey was conducted Dr. Kiran in partnership with the CMA. It gathered responses from 16,876 adults in Canada to provide a clear picture of how patient experiences with primary care compare to the OurCare Standard, a framework of six elements that define what everyone should expect from the primary care system.  

The complete OurCare survey, including regional results and data on access to care and public satisfaction with the system, is available online at ourcare.ca. Engage with the new dashboard online which includes data broken out for each province and territory at data.ourcare.ca 

About the Our Care Survey 
This report is based on the 2025 OurCare National Survey, an online survey conducted in English, French and Inuktitut from April to November 2025 to assess how Canadians' experiences with primary care align with the OurCare Standard--a framework outlining what every person in Canada should expect from the system. Developed with input from clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and patient advocates, the survey included 69 questions and drew responses from 22,832 adults, with analysis focused on 16,876 who completed it.

About the CMA 
The Canadian Medical Association leads a national movement with physicians who believe in a better future of health. Our ambition is a sustainable, accessible health system where patients are partners, a culture of medicine that elevates equity, diversity and wellbeing, and supportive communities where everyone has the chance to be healthy. We drive change through advocacy, giving and knowledge sharing – guided by values of collaboration and inclusion.

About MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions 
MAP is Canada's largest research centre focused on health equity and the social determinants of health. Internationally recognized for ground-breaking science and innovation, MAP develops and implements real-world, evidence-driven program and policy solutions that disrupt cycles of socioeconomic exclusion and poor health. MAP's vision is a healthier future for all. Learn more at maphealth.ca   

About Unity Health Toronto 
Unity Health Toronto is Canada's largest Catholic health care provider with a wingspan across Toronto's core. Unity Health Toronto's strengths lie in the combined expertise of our three sites, including St. Michael's Hospital, a research-intensive academic health sciences centre offering world-class specialty programs. The breadth of services we provide, strengthened by community partnerships and academic affiliations, positions us as a national model for collaborative, integrated, high quality care as we work to build a stronger, more resilient and equitable health system for all. 

SOURCE Canadian Medical Association

To schedule an interview or for further information, please contact: CMA Media Relations: [email protected], Eric Lewis, 506-566-1671; Marie-Pier Cloutier, 819-740-2231; Unity Health Toronto media relations: [email protected]