Our Advocacy Impact
From grassroots mobilization to government action, AFHTO members and partners drive real, measurable change for team-based primary care.
Our Advocacy Impact
From grassroots mobilization to government action, AFHTO members and partners drive real, measurable change for team-based primary care.
Our advocacy has moved government, shaped legislation, and secured historic funding for the people and teams who care for Ontarians every day.
This is the impact of a province-wide movement powered by teams, backed by evidence, and amplified by AFHTO.
BY THE NUMBERS
Here are just a few of the milestone achievements made possible through sustained advocacy, expert leadership, and strong member engagement.
#ForUsForYou petition for wage parity, in partnership with primary and community care associations.
representation in local pre-budget consultations
in provincial investment through the Primary Care Action Plan to attach an additional 2 million+ people.
One Unified Voice
AFHTO’s advocacy extends far beyond supporting local teams. We play an increasingly important role at the system level, working directly with government, health system leaders, and partner organizations to build a future where every Ontarian has access to the care they need.
We play an active, strategic role in advancing primary care by:
- Serving as a member of the Primary Care Collaborative, Ontario’s unified voice for team-based primary care.
- Coordinating joint advocacy with Ontario’s professional associations.
- Engaging directly with government officials, including the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health, and decision makers.
- Providing real-time implementation insights to the government’s Primary Care Action Team.
- Mobilizing rapid response efforts during system challenges and consultations.
Local Voices, Provincial Change
From Timmins to Windsor, our members’ voices continue to create momentum. AFHTO members have elevated primary care in local media, public hearings, and community conversations.
City of Kawartha lakes FHT speaks at the Peterborough Pre-Budget Consultation
“It’s hard to staff the teams we have, let alone expand… Family health teams province-wide are losing staff while we wait for money that’s already been budgeted.”
Cheryl Dobinson from Taddle Creek FHT at the Toronto Pre-Budget Consultation.
“The widening wage gap is causing Family Health Teams to experience challenges in recruitment and retention, staffing shortages, vacancies in positions, staff feeling undervalued and demoralized – all of which has an impact on patient care and stability of health care system.”
Members from Minto Mapleton and Listowel and Area FHT at the Stratford Consultation
“The workforce of Family Health Teams is critically unstable with vacancy and staff turnover rates reaching 40%. These professionals leave the FHT to work in other care settings where they make more money doing the same job for the same hours.”
Mary Lynn Dingwell from North Shore FHT, Presents to the Ontario Legislature in Thunder Bay
“In the last five to six years, we’ve struggled to fill family health team and physician positions and can no longer offer access appointments with primary care practitioners – this places extra strain on the physicians as people will go to the emergency department, which under (the rural funding model) is staffed by the same primary care physicians.”
Sarah Milner from Central Lambton FHT presents to Ministry of Finance
Sarah presented at the 2026 Pre-Budget Consultation, using her three minutes to clearly articulate AFHTO’s priorities for primary care and reinforce them through written submissions shared with Parliamentary Assistants Michelle Cooper and Steven Pinsonneault.
Local Leader Duff Sprague from Peterborough FHT flags wage and funding pressures at Ontario pre-budget hearings
“Sprague told the committee that clinician salaries at family health teams have lagged far behind public sector increases, noting a 2023 compensation study found primary care roles are paid 15 to 40 per cent below market value.”
AFHTO’s Pre-Budget Submission
Every year, AFHTO develops a comprehensive, evidence-based pre-budget submission to reflect the key needs of the sector and outline our teams’ priorities in the next provincial budget. This work is not simply a document — it is the culmination of months of listening to teams, analyzing data, and understanding what patients and communities truly need.
We spell out bold, achievable solutions to stabilize the workforce, support system sustainability, and accelerate attachment capacity across the province. Our hope is to continue to guide policymakers, sector partners, and community leaders as they work to build a stronger, more equitable system.
Looking Forward
Where do we go from here?
As Ontario’s Primary Care Action Plan rolls out and investments deepen, AFHTO will continue pressing for policy changes, resources, and governance modernization to help teams thrive.