I stand to debate this motion with the knowledge that in Niagara alone 73,000 residents—seniors, young families, everyone—are in search of a family doctor, an increase of 20,000 in just nine months. How can we, as stewards of this province, say we are addressing the emergency room crisis or even claim to mend the gaping wound of primary care scarcity when our primary care providers like Niagara’s family health teams have not seen a base funding increase in over a decade? That means when the government invariably kicks up dirt, points their fingers and says that the problem is out of their control or is inherited. Refusing to increase base funding for the very primary care providers that are in crisis is not about making different choices about Ontario’s health care. It is about choosing to recklessly and dangerously ignore Ontario’s health care.

Our primary care providers are the unsung heroes. When I sat down with our family health teams in Niagara, I saw a committed staff calling out for a supportive primary care system. The message was very crystal clear. They need, we need an urgent strategy to bolster our workforce, allowing these dedicated professionals to focus on treating patients, not paperwork. This is not just about numbers; it’s about people—people suffering because our system fails to prioritize their most basic health needs.

We must act, not tomorrow, not next year, but now. To invest in primary care is to invest in the heart of our communities. Let’s give our family health teams the support they deserve. Let’s build a better and healthier Ontario for all residents.