TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO:
WHEREAS there is a looming primary care provider shortage in Toronto’s Chinatown area, impacting many Chinese Canadian residents; and
WHEREAS a significant number of doctors in downtown Toronto who provide service in Cantonese or Mandarin are nearing retirement or have retired, leaving thousands of residents without a family doctor; and
WHEREAS the lack of primary care is forcing residents to rely on emergency rooms for basic medical needs, contributing to the overburdening of our hospitals; and
WHEREAS over 2.2M Ontarians do not have a family doctor, and that number is expected to increase to 4.4M by 2026;
THEREFORE WE THE UNDERSIGNED petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:
- Guarantee everyone in Ontario has access to a primary care provider
- Increase investment in primary care in the next provincial budget
- Expand primary care options in Chinatown and other areas with service gaps by investing in primary care, as well as non-profit and public health clinics
- Make it easier for internationally trained doctors and nurses to work in Ontario’s health care sector
- Cut the administrative burden on family doctors to make the profession more attractive
- Ensure the government will cover translation fees for minority language-speaking groups