Niagara residents facing challenges in finding a family doctor may feel like the odds of securing one are similar to winning the lottery. However, recent data from Niagara’s regional government suggests that there are more doctors open to taking on new patients in the area than commonly perceived.
According to Jill Croteau, the physician recruitment program manager for the region, there are currently around 41 doctors in Niagara who are accepting new patients, marking a record high. This number includes some doctors who have been welcoming new patients for over a year.
A collaborative effort between Niagara’s regional government, municipalities, and the Niagara Practitioners’ Healthcare Alliance is facilitating connections between individuals seeking doctors and those healthcare providers with availability. Interested individuals can explore doctors and community health centers accepting new patients based on their municipality through the region’s find-a-doctor website. The program also offers assistance from “system navigators” to guide individuals in finding the right doctor and completing registration processes.
In response to the need for specialist physicians, a new initiative between the region and Niagara Health aims to recruit specialized doctors to support hospitals in Niagara. The recruitment strategy, led by Croteau’s office in partnership with local entities, has successfully attracted 28 new family physicians to Niagara in 2025, predominantly from the United Kingdom. However, despite these recruitment efforts, statistics reveal that Niagara still faces a shortage of approximately 107 physicians based on population and practice size norms.
The aging population of doctors in Niagara presents a challenge, with over 53,000 residents enrolled with doctors aged over 65, posing the risk of patients losing their primary healthcare providers. In addition to family doctors, Niagara Health is experiencing shortages in specialized areas like emergency medicine, prompting the need for increased recruitment efforts.
A new collaboration named Connect to Care between Niagara Health, the medical practitioners’ alliance, and municipalities has successfully connected an additional 9,000 residents to family physician care in the early months of 2026, as per regional data. Beyond the health benefits, the influx of doctors may also have positive economic impacts on Niagara, attracting potential investments and enhancing the region’s quality of life.
Recognizing the importance of physician recruitment for economic development, the region has shifted its recruitment program from public health to economic development. Emphasizing the competitive nature of attracting physicians, George Spezza, the region’s director of economic development, highlights the significance of proactive recruitment efforts, including global recruitment initiatives.
Both Spezza and Croteau stress the importance of long-term relationship-building in physician recruitment, often involving years of engagement before physicians make decisions to practice in the region. This strategic approach aims to address the ongoing physician shortages and ensure improved access to healthcare services for Niagara residents.