Ottawa is facing a significant primary care access crisis. To address this challenge, the Ottawa Ontario Health Team – Équipe Santé Ontario (Ottawa OHT-ÉSO) launched the Ottawa Primary Care Survey in June 2025. The survey aimed to (1) assess current and future primary care capacity; (2) identify key challenges and opportunities in expanding attachment; and (3) grow the membership and improve the accuracy of Ottawa OHT-ÉSO’s Primary Care Network directory.

A total of 209 primary care stakeholders participated in the survey, representing 90 unique practices across Ottawa. Of these, 78% report practicing within Ottawa OHT-ÉSO’s geography. Key findings include:

• Limited capacity for growth: Only 12% of responding practices are currently accepting new patients and 29% of providers plan to retire or exit comprehensive care within five years, putting care for over 37,000 patients at risk.
• Significant operational barriers: High administrative burden, lack of digital integration, and insufficient access to allied health professionals were widely cited as major obstacles to expanding rosters.
• Low engagement with Health Care Connect (HCC): 67% of responding clinicians are unlikely to use HCC, highlighting a need for improved awareness, functionality, and incentives.
• Network growth: The survey successfully expanded the Primary Care Network by 14%, adding 49 new clinicians and enriching the team’s ability to support and mobilize primary care providers.

The findings highlight urgent system-level needs and point to areas where targeted investment and support can improve primary care capacity and access across Ottawa.

Ottawa OHT-ÉSO PC Survey Findings