Universal public healthcare is a defining feature of what it means to be Canadian. Yet, it took a pandemic to bring into sharp public relief the numerous pressure points in our healthcare system. With a growing and increasingly diverse population, providing adequate healthcare requires solutions that confront the realities of modern Canadian communities and address barriers to equitable access.
The country’s struggle to provide healthcare access amid a shortage of doctors has amounted to a crisis. In Ontario, over 2.2 million Canadians do not have a regular family physician according to a research study from INSPIRE Primary Health Care and one in five Ontarians could be without a family doctor in the next three years.
It is clear that the Canadian healthcare system requires more primary care providers, but the challenges go beyond mere supply and demand. Systemic cultural inequities within the healthcare system contribute significantly to unmet healthcare needs in Ontario and beyond and exacerbate existing disparities experienced by vulnerable communities. This was made stark during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is an urgent need for a new model for primary care — one that’s community-driven, intentionally inclusive and that features doctors who prioritize cultural awareness and humility.
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is taking up the challenge with the opening of a new school of medicine, the first in decades for the province. Slated to open in September 2025, the school will be located at the Bramalea Civic Centre not far from Brampton Civic and Peel Memorial Hospitals. The 250,000-square-foot space holds the promise of state-of-the-art classrooms, research facilities, and an integrated health clinic.
