How to Find a Family Doctor in Ontario as a Newcomer (2025 Guide)

If you've just arrived in Ontario, one of the first challenges you might face is finding a family doctor. Unlike some countries where you can walk into any clinic, in Canada, having a family doctor means having ongoing, personalized medical care.

But here’s the truth — finding a family doctor as a newcomer isn’t always easy. With long waitlists and limited availability, many newcomers end up relying on walk-in clinics for years. In this post, I’ll explain how to register for a family doctor in Ontario, what to expect, and tips to increase your chances — based on my own experience as a mom of three settling in Ottawa.

Why You Need a Family Doctor

✅ Ongoing care for chronic or long-term conditions
✅ Referrals to specialists (you can't see most specialists without one!)
✅ Annual checkups, vaccination updates, and kids' health monitoring

In Ontario, most specialists require a referral — and that means you need a family doctor first!

1. Are You Eligible to Get a Family Doctor?

To register with a family doctor in Ontario, you must have:

✅ A valid OHIP card (Ontario Health Insurance Plan)
✅ Proof of Ontario residency

If you’re still waiting for your OHIP to start (due to a 3-month waiting period), you can still visit walk-in clinics or use private insurance temporarily.

Don't have OHIP yet? Here's how!

2. How to Find a Family Doctor in Ontario

🔎 Option 1: Register with Health Care Connect

The Ontario government runs a free program called Health Care Connect to help you find a family doctor or nurse practitioner near you. Here’s how to use it:

Go to Ontario’s official site
Call 1-800-445-1822 or register online
A Care Connector will match you with an available doctor in your area

This service prioritizes newcomers, parents with young children, and those with chronic conditions.

Health Care Connect is the easiest way to get on the list — but be prepared to wait a few months.

🏥 Option 2: Use Ontario's Doctor Directory

You can also search for doctors accepting new patients through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO):

Visit: www.cpso.on.ca
Click on “Find a Doctor”
Use filters: language, gender, location, accepting new patients

Once you find a name, call their office directly to ask if they are still accepting patients.

Search by preferred language — many Korean-speaking doctors practice in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area)!

🚶 Option 3: Ask at Walk-in Clinics

Sometimes, doctors working at walk-in clinics may also take on new patients for family care. During your next visit, don’t hesitate to ask:

“Are you accepting new patients for family practice?”
“Can I be added to your waitlist?”

This informal method has worked for many newcomers who just happened to be at the right place, right time.

🌐 Option 4: Use Local Community Groups (Facebook, etc.)

One of the most effective ways I personally found our family doctor was through a local Facebook community group. Someone posted that a new doctor had just joined a nearby clinic and was accepting new patients.

I went there at 7 a.m. to line up and register, and thankfully, within just six months of moving from Quebec to Ontario, our family was able to get a family doctor.

Don’t underestimate local community groups — sometimes the best leads come from your neighbors, not official websites!

3. What to Expect After Getting a Doctor

Once you're accepted as a patient:

You’ll usually be asked to schedule an initial assessment visit
Your doctor will ask about medical history, allergies, medications, etc.
They’ll become your go-to person for referrals, vaccines, and follow-ups

Make sure to keep your OHIP card updated and bring it to every appointment!

Having a family doctor saved us so much time — especially when dealing with school forms, immunizations, and specialist referrals for our kids.

Be Patient but Persistent

Finding a family doctor in Ontario as a newcomer takes time and effort, but it’s absolutely worth it. Start with Health Care Connect, search CPSO regularly, and don’t be afraid to ask around in local clinics or newcomer groups.

From my own experience, once we finally got connected with a family doctor, it made our life in Canada much smoother, safer, and less stressful.

A family doctor is your long-term health partner in Canada — don’t give up on finding one!

Want to understand how the healthcare system works overall? Then, click the button below to read about Healthcare system in Canada.

Canada's Healthcare System : Pros & Cons