While the delivery of healthcare is a Provincial responsibility, municipalities like Ottawa absolutely have a role to play. When thousands of residents are struggling to access care, we need every tool in the toolbox to support local solutions. This was front and centre at this week’s Finance and Corporate Services Committee meeting, where we debated and passed three separate items related to primary care and healthcare access for our city.
One of the most significant items was the approval of a grant under the Integrated Orléans Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to support the development of a new two-storey healthcare facility near Innes and Tenth Line. The owner is proposing a new medical facility that will house the Orléans Urgent Care Clinic and IDEAL Pharmacy, along with adding new family doctors and specialists.
This is huge for both Orléans and the east end. This project will expand urgent care services, add more examination rooms, introduce diagnostic capabilities, and improve pharmacy services. These upgrades are much needed to meet the growing healthcare needs of Orléans residents. The facility will also create new full-time healthcare jobs, including physicians, pharmacists, and allied health professionals, significantly boosting local employment in the health sector.
Healthcare was also in focus across the city. The committee approved Ottawa’s new Primary Care Recruitment and Retention Strategy. This is a citywide initiative to help attract and retain family doctors, support clinics, and advocate for policy changes that remove barriers to care, especially in underserved areas.
Staff also shared an exciting update on the proposed Kanata-Stittsville Family Health Hub, which could provide care for up to 50,000 residents in Ottawa’s west end. With Councillor Glen Gower bringing forward a motion to move ahead with a formal Request for Offers to explore how part of the city-owned land at 1655 Maple Grove Road could be used to support this important project.
From targeted recruitment and partnerships to strategic land use and local investment, this week reflected a growing recognition that access to primary care is essential to livability and community well-being, and that takes all levels of government working together.
