Chris Glover MPP, Spadina–Fort York

Government of Ontario

Urgent Family Doctor Shortage in Chinatown & Ontario

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
41 signatures

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