In this special episode, host Dr. Tara Kiran reflects on the passage of Ontario’s new Primary Care Act—the first legislation of its kind in Canada. Joined by Peter MacLeod, founder of MASS LBP and co-lead of the OurCare initiative, Tara and Peter take you behind the scenes of a national public dialogue that helped shape the new law. Nearly 10,000 Canadians participated in the OurCare process and what they said they wanted from the primary care system is now reflected in Ontario’s legislation. This episode is a story of civic imagination, moral beauty—and a hopeful step toward primary care that works for everyone.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Read more about OurCare and OurCare Standard: OurCare.ca

Meet some of the OurCare panelists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShkxhIJBCh8&t=25s

Review Ontario’s Primary Care Act: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/s25008 

Watch the press conference where Ontario’s Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, announces the Primary Care Act: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFYZOosIZngRelated articles you might like:

Results from the OurCare provincial priority panels

Dr. Tara Kiran’s Opinion piece in the Toronto Star

More about Primary Focus:

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Learn about the OurCare Standard

Take the OurCare national survey to share your experiences with primary care.

Do you have an idea for an episode? Email primary.focus@unityhealth.to Dr. Tara Kiran is a family physician and researcher who is passionate about building a stronger, more equitable primary care system in Canada. She practices at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto where she is also a scientist at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions. In 2022, Dr. Kiran launched OurCare, a national initiative to engage the public in shaping the future of primary care in Canada. You can learn more about Dr. Kiran’s research here: https://maphealth.ca/kiran/ 

Primary Focus is supported by a grant from the St. Michael’s Foundation. Dr. Tara Kiran is supported as the Fidani Chair in Improvement and Innovation at the University of Toronto and a Scientist in the Departments of Family and Community Medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit primaryfocus.substack.com