Thursday, September 17, 2026
Ontario Helping More Family Doctors Learn and Stay in the Province
Province opening applications for expanded Ontario Learn and Stay Grant with $220 million investment to support more than 2,000 future family doctors
The Ontario government has opened applications for the new Ontario Learn and Stay Grant - Medical Education (OLSG-ME) program to help more than 2,000 Ontario medical students studying to become family doctors and practice in the province. Backed by a $220 million investment, the Ontario government’s new OLSG stream will cover the undergraduate medical school tuition, books and other direct education costs for postgraduate medical students if they commit to working as family doctors anywhere in Ontario for a minimum of five years after graduation.
“Ontario’s family doctors provide the high-quality and compassionate care that keep our families and communities healthy,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “By breaking down financial barriers for our province’s next generation of family doctors, we are strengthening Ontario’s pipeline of highly skilled physicians, ensuring everyone can access the care they need, when and where they need it.”
First launched in spring 2023, the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant covers the cost of tuition, books and other direct educational costs for students in nursing, paramedic and medical laboratory technology/science programs in high-need areas of the province who commit to working in the region where they studied after graduation.
In 2024, the government announced an $88 million expansion of the OLSG program to train 1,360 future family doctors in exchange for these students agreeing to practice family medicine in any community across Ontario upon graduation. Today, the government announced applications are now open for this expanded program, with an increased investment of $220 million to support four cohorts of future family doctors, totalling more than 2,000 medical students.
“Today’s announcement builds on the bold action our government has taken to expand medical education and train the next generation of health-care professionals,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By expanding the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant to include family medicine, we are taking the next step in ensuring Ontario has the world-class health-care workforce it needs for years to come.”
The expanded program could help up to 2 million people become or remain attached to primary care based on average attachment rates for family doctors. While Ontario continues to lead the country with nearly 90 percent of people connected to a primary care provider, the province has set clear goals in its Primary Care Action Plan to connect every person to a family doctor or primary care team by 2029.
“Thank you to the Ontario Government for this important investment in the next generation of family physicians in the province,” said Dr. John Yoo, Dean of Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University. “This support is critical to improving access to primary care for people across Ontario. Western is proud to play a leading role in training future family doctors. We are committed to ensuring our medical students and residents have meaningful opportunities to learn and train in rural and regional communities, strengthening the physician workforce and improving access to high-quality care across Southwestern Ontario.”
Students can learn more at the Ontario Learn and Stay - Medical Education webpage.
Quick Facts:
- In order to be eligible for the OLSG-ME program, students must be enrolled in a postgraduate family medicine residency program at an Ontario medical school.
- The four cohorts of students covered by this investment will begin their residency between July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2030.
- Through the Ontario 2025 budget, the government invested $261.7 million into the Ontario Learn and Stay program to continue supporting nurses, paramedics, and medical lab techs who commit to working in high need regions of the province.
- To date, the Ontario government has invested more than $182 million through OLSG to fund the education of 13,300 future nurses, paramedics and medical lab technologists in high need areas of the province.
- The government is investing in the largest medical school education expansion in more than a decade by adding 340 undergraduate seats and 551 postgraduate medical residency positions by 2028-29, representing a 67 per cent increase in family medicine learners.
- In July 2026, the Ontario government announced $55.8 million to support the planning and operations of York University’s new School of Medicine, the first medical school in Ontario that is focused on training family doctors.
- As part of the government’s historic $6.4 billion postsecondary funding model, the province is investing $1.7 billion to fund 70,000 seats in key, labour-market driven sectors including 16,100 more seats in health care programs.
Quotes:
"As communities across Ontario face growing demand for primary care, strengthening the pipeline of future family doctors is essential to improving access to care. Ontario's universities are proud to educate and train the next generation of physicians, and reducing barriers for medical learners can help more students pursue careers in family medicine and serve communities where they are needed most."
- Steve Orsini, President and CEO, Council of Ontario Universities
"Today’s announcement will create more opportunities for success for Ontario's exceptional students and the next generation of family doctors. Moreover, this is an investment that will help build stronger communities across every corner of Ontario. We know how important access-to-care is, and this is one more important step in the right direction."
- Rob Flack, MPP for Elgin Middlesex–London
"A strong primary care system starts with a sustainable family physician workforce. Supporting the next generation of family physicians is critical to improving access to care, and today’s announcement is an important investment in that future. By reducing financial barriers and encouraging more family physicians to build their careers in Ontario, this investment will help more patients access the care they need, closer to home. The OCFP is encouraged by this commitment and the positive impact it will have on patients and communities across the province."
- Dr. Eric Wong, President, Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP)
"Strengthening primary care requires a holistic approach, from educating and retaining more family physicians to supporting the team-based care models that allow them to effectively serve their communities. The Ontario Learn and Stay Grant is a valued component of that broader effort to build a strong and sustainable primary care workforce so every Ontarian has access to high-quality care close to home."
- Lisa A. Robinson, MD, FRCPC, FASN, FCAHS, Dean of Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
"Family medicine is essential to healthy communities across Ontario, and reducing the financial barriers to medical education will help attract and support the next generation of family physicians to train, practise and build their lives in the communities that need them."
- Dr. Nancy Baxter, Vice-President and Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University
"The new Ontario Learn and Stay Grant for Medical Education is a welcome investment for medical students and residents at the University of Ottawa, and for the communities they will go on to serve. As research shows family physicians are more likely to provide care in areas where they grew up, our Faculty is improving access to primary care in our region by intentionally increasing the number of local high-school graduates we train in French and English, including from nearby rural and Indigenous communities. We thank Premier Doug Ford, Minister Nolan Quinn and Minister Sylvia Jones for taking action to reduce financial barriers for students pursuing family medicine, and meaningfully enhancing our ability to attract and retain future family physicians."
- Dr. Melissa Forgie, Dean of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine
"Family physicians are an essential part of the healthcare system. We are thrilled that this commitment will encourage more medical students to choose family medicine, and help to ensure that everyone in Ontario has a family doctor. We look forward to welcoming many of them to Queen's University's programs, where trainees are exposed to some of the incredible communities across Ontario where they can work."
- Dr. Lisa Tannock, Dean of Health Sciences and Director of the School of Medicine, Queen’s University
"Removing the financial burden of medical education is an important investment in the next generation of family physicians and in the communities they will serve. At NOSM University, we know that where physicians learn and train has a powerful influence on where they ultimately practise. As the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant moves forward, it will provide meaningful support for our learners while helping strengthen the family physician workforce in Northern Ontario by encouraging new graduates to establish comprehensive family medicine practices. We appreciate the Ontario government's investment in medical education and the future of health care in Northern Ontario."
- Dr. Michael Green, President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean and CEO, NOSM University (Northern Ontario School of
Medicine)
"At TMU, we know that investing directly in the next generation of health care providers helps fill critical health-care gaps, retains medical professionals, and builds a healthier province by ensuring our communities have dedicated family doctors where they are needed most. As the first new medical school to have a focus on primary care, we are certain that this type of initiative will help Ontario train and retain family physicians. This investment will be transformative for future family physicians and will help expand access to primary care for people across Ontario. We are grateful to the government of Ontario for its commitment to family medicine in our province."
- Dr. Teresa M. Chan, Dean of the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine
"The Ontario Medical Association welcomes this investment from the Ford government into the next generation of family medicine. By removing financial barriers for medical students, we can help ensure more Ontarians get the care they need. This is a significant step forward. We need to continue to address the pressures facing family doctors today to ensure physicians not only train in the province but stay and practice here."
- Dr. Rebecca Hicks, President, Ontario Medical Association
Additional Resources:
Media Contacts:
Bianca Giacoboni
Minister's Office
Bianca.Giacoboni@ontario.ca
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security
MCURES.media@ontario.ca
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