Survey shows progress in primary care access as Nurse Practitioners help close gaps

The Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario (NPAO) welcomes findings from the 2025 OurCare National Survey, which demonstrate meaningful improvements in Canadians’ access to primary care, with Nurse Practitioners (NPs) playing an increasingly vital role in meeting the healthcare needs of communities across the country.

 The comprehensive survey of over 16,000 Canadians reveals that 81% of respondents now report having an NP or family doctor, up from 77% in 2022. An additional 1.4% receive care from primary care teams known for providing ongoing care. These gains represent approximately 600,000 fewer people without access to regular primary care compared to three years ago. 

“This is encouraging news for patients and families who have been struggling to access primary care,” said Dr. NP Michelle Acorn, CEO of NPAO. “Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are proven clinicians and leaders in delivering comprehensive, patient-centred care, and these results demonstrate our critical role in strengthening the healthcare system in Ontario, and across Canada.”

The survey found that 7.3% of Canadians with a regular primary care provider see an NP as their primary clinician – up from 5.4% in 2022. This represents significant growth in NP-led care and attachment progress at a time when the healthcare system faces unprecedented pressures.

“While we celebrate this progress, there is much more work to do,” added NP Marie Greer-King, NPAO President  “NPs stand ready to serve more patients and help address critical gaps in timely access to care, but we need the provincial government’s continued support to maximize our contributions.”