New pilot program to help recruit and retain more family doctors as Whitby grows

Improving resident access to family physicians within Whitby as the community continues to grow – that’s the goal of a new pilot program that will see the Town of Whitby and Oshawa Clinic Group partner together to recruit and retain ten new family doctors to the West Whitby Health Centre, opening in summer 2024.

The new Family Physician Recruitment Incentive Partnership Pilot Program was approved by Town Council at a Special Council Meeting held on July 26 (2023). Through the program, up to 10 family physicians will be provided with an incentive of $50,000 each over a five-year term, funding for which will be equally shared between the Town and the Oshawa Clinic Group. Each physician will have an anticipated 1,000 patients by the third year, to be maintained over the remainder of the five years.

With a regional population of 738,710, it is estimated that there are 230,000 Durham residents without a family doctor in Durham. The four-storey, 154,000 square-foot West Whitby Health Centre is being built at the southwest corner of Des Newman Boulevard and Bonacord Avenue in West Whitby – an area anticipated to be one of Durham Region’s fastest areas of growth over the next decade. Through the West Whitby Health Centre, residents will have access to a wide range of non-acute healthcare services, including family physicians, specialists, cardiology, physiotherapy, fertility, diagnostic imaging, laboratory, audiology and psychology. The clinic will also feature a walk-in urgent care centre.

“I am very pleased that the Town of Whitby is partnering with the Oshawa Clinic Group on this pilot program to attract family physicians to the new West Whitby Health Centre. We know that Whitby – and all of Durham Region -- face a serious shortage of family physicians, which impacts the health and well-being of our residents. This gap will only increase as our community continues to grow. When we were gathering feedback on our Community Strategic Plan, increasing access to family physicians was one of the top priorities shared by the community. This program takes concrete action to ensure our residents have access to quality health care close to home.”

-        Elizabeth Roy, Mayor, Town of Whitby

“We are thrilled about the new pilot program with Whitby. This program is designed to help address the shortage of family physicians and service the residents of Whitby. The Oshawa Clinic Group has a strong history in Durham Region and we look forward to continued growth at our new location.”

-        Keith White, Chief Executive Officer, Oshawa Clinic Group

Quick Facts

• By 2051, the Region’s population is expected to hit 1.3 million. This provincially mandated growth means the need for more infrastructure, family doctors, and mental health supports is more important than ever.
• The Ontario College of Family Physicians reports that nearly 15 per cent of Ontarians are without access to a regular family physician.
• During recent engagement on the new Community Strategic Plan, participants listed increased access to family physicians as a top priority. “Work with partners to increase access to family physicians” is action item 1.1.6 under Pillar 2 (Whitby’s Natural and Built Environment) in the Community Strategic Plan.
• Once open, the West Whitby Health Centre will be the largest private multidisciplinary medical group practice in Canada.

More Information

For more information, visit whitby.ca/DurhamHealthMatters or read Staff Report CAO 20-23 – Family Physician Recruitment Incentive Partnership Pilot Program.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Corporate Communications
Erin Mikaluk, Manager, Communications and Creative Services, Town of Whitby
Phone: 289-314-6913 || Email: mikaluke@whitby.ca

Office of the Mayor
Jillian Follert, Public Affairs Coordinator, Office of the Mayor
Phone: 289-387-9101 || Email: follertj@whitby.ca