Ontario’s Family Health Teams sound alarm over staffing crisis fuelled by wage freeze

Ontario Family Health Teams face staffing crisis as nurses, pharmacists earn $30K-$50K less than hospital roles after a 5 years of wage freezes.

The association representing Ontario’s Family Health Teams is warning that a chronic wage gap is driving a staffing exodus, jeopardizing the province’s goal of connecting millions of patients to primary care.

Family Health Teams, which provide comprehensive care through multidisciplinary groups including family physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and dietitians, are struggling to retain staff after years of stagnant wages. The Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) says that while these professional roles have seen their compensation frozen, comparable positions elsewhere in the healthcare system have become significantly more lucrative.

AFHTO CEO Jess Rogers told CTV News that the financial squeeze has left team members underpaid relative to their peers for an extended period.

“There was an increase last year of 2.7 per cent, but that was after over five years without any increases to those roles,” Rogers said.

“So, first and foremost, there’s a challenge around just keeping pace with where we’re at in terms of those roles.”

She added that the disparity is not just about keeping up with inflation, but about being systematically undervalued compared to other sectors. The result is a steady drain of talent from community-based primary care.

“The other thing is that those roles across the board, every one of those roles, is already at a lower salary than that professional role in other parts of the health system,” said Rogers.

Pay gaps driving professionals to hospitals, second jobs

Official explained that the financial gap is stark for specific professions. Rogers said that a nurse practitioner working in a hospital can earn up to $30,000 more annually, often with a superior benefits package. For physician assistants, the pay discrepancy can be even more pronounced, reaching between $40,000 and $50,000.

This financial pressure is being felt acutely at the local level, forcing some dedicated healthcare workers to seek additional employment just to cover their basic living costs.

“Some of our staff have been forced to take on second jobs to make ends meet,” said Meghan Peters, executive director of the City of Lakes Family Health Team in Sudbury.

“These are highly dedicated, skilled professionals, with years of experience, who are working two jobs outside of the health care system.”

The situation unfolds as the province grapples with a massive primary care access problem. According to Rogers, approximately two million Ontarians are currently waiting to be attached to a family health provider.

Ministry talks existing investments and points fingers at local autonomy

In response to the concerns, the Ministry of Health pointed to its existing investments.

In a statement to CTV News, the ministry highlighted its financial commitment to primary care reform.

“Through our $2.1 billion Primary Care Action Plan, we are both investing more in Family Health Teams across the province and connecting everyone to a primary care provider by 2029,” the statement read.

The ministry also provided background information clarifying the operational structure of the teams, explaining that “Family Health Teams are independent, board-governed organizations responsible for managing their own budgets and staff. Ontario Health oversees transfer payment agreements, but negotiations occur directly between the (team) and the union.”

AFHTO calls for immediate release of funds to stabilize workforce

Despite the ministry’s mentioned investments, AFHTO argues that the funding is not reaching the front lines quickly enough to solve the immediate staffing crisis. Rogers is calling for a change in approach, urging the government to release funds without delay to prevent further erosion of the workforce.

“We’re asking for that to all be released as soon as the next fiscal starts. Right? Like, why are we waiting if we’re trying to get more Ontarians attached and we want to hit those targets, we want to sustain that, then let’s get that money out to the teams now so we can, you know, really stabilize that workforce,” Rogers said.

Beyond the immediate release of funds, the association is pushing for a fundamental review of compensation models for primary care staff. Without a sustainable approach to pay, Rogers warns that the province will find itself trapped in a perpetual cycle of recruitment and burnout.

“The second is to look at more investment, to say, like, what is the pay? What’s the rate pay for these different roles?” Rogers said.

Consequences for patient care loom

The warning from AFHTO underscores a growing concern that without competitive wages, the province’s ambitious plan to attach every Ontarian to a primary care provider by 2029 could be undermined by a lack of professionals available to deliver that care.

As Family Health Teams struggle to hold onto their existing staff, the ripple effects are beginning to be felt by patients who face longer wait times or reduced access to critical services like dietetics, pharmacy advice and mental health support that these teams provide.

The association’s warning is simple; if the current trend continues, the goal of universal attachment to primary care will remain out of reach simply because there will not be enough providers left in community settings to do the work.

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