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Resources for Finding a New Doctor

It can be hard to find a new family doctor, especially if there’s a shortage of physicians in your area. Here are a few things you can try:

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Health Care Connect

This Ministry of Health program matches people who don’t have a regular family health care provider with physicians and nurse practitioners in their community who are accepting new patients. Register for Health Care Connect online or call 1-888-579-6707.

Health811

The Ministry of Health provides a free, secure and confidential service available 24/7 to help people find health services or information, or get health advice from a registered nurse. Call 811 for health advice or information. Alternatively, use the online search tool to find health services or start a live chat with an advisor on the Health811 website.

Family Health Teams

Family Health Teams provide services tailored to their communities, including rural and northern areas, and for populations of patients with specialized health needs. Teams include family physicians, nurse practitioners, and other health-care professionals. To enroll, find a physician who belongs to a Family Health Team. Some physicians may accept patients directly while some require interested patients to enroll through Health Care Connect. Find a list of Family Health Teams on the province’s website.

Community Health Centres

If you have a local community health centre, it may be taking new patients. These centres provide primary health care and prevention programs through physicians and a variety of other health professionals. Keep in mind that most only provide services to people who live within their community. A list of community health centres in Ontario is available on the MOH website.

Additional Resources

  • Some settlement service providers help new immigrants and refugees find a doctor. Find local providers through the Government of Canada’s directory.
  • Rainbow Health Ontario has a directory of providers who expressed a commitment to providing competent and welcoming care to 2SLGBTQ+ people in Ontario.
  • Aboriginal Health Access Centres across Ontario deliver culturally relevant health care to Indigenous Peoples. Consult the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council’s map to view resources.

Physician Register

CPSO's Physician Register does not list what physicians are accepting new patients. However, you can use this registry to find the contact information for physicians across Ontario.

  1. Go to Physician Register.
  2. Choose “Advanced Search” to find a doctor near you (by city/town or postal code).
  3. Click on “Additional Search Options” to narrow your search (to family doctors and/or language spoken).
  4. Contact the doctor and ask if they are accepting new patients.