TORONTO: The Ontario provincial government is committing $55.8 million to support York University’s new School of Medicine. Designed as Ontario’s first medical school dedicated specifically to training family doctors, the facility is scheduled to welcome its inaugural class of students in August 2028 on a site adjacent to the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital.
The cash infusion comes at a critical time for healthcare in the province. According to estimates from the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), roughly 2.5 million Ontarians currently lack access to a primary care physician—a shortage expected to worsen as a significant number of existing doctors retire or leave practice. In response, Premier Doug Ford’s government has pledged $3.4 billion toward connecting every resident in the province with a family doctor or primary care team by 2029.
Nolan Quinn, Ontario’s Minister of Colleges, Universities, and Research Excellence and Security, highlighted that York University will play a vital role in meeting these targets. The $55.8 million in provincial funding will be directed toward accreditation, curriculum development, faculty recruitment and training, establishing a dedicated medical library, and covering initial operational expenses.
York University is actively fundraising $350 million for the physical construction of the medical facility. Additional local support includes a $25 million commitment from York Region, land donated by the City of Vaughan, and an initial $9 million planning grant previously provided by the province.
The primary care-focused medical school will initially offer 80 undergraduate seats and 102 postgraduate positions, with plans to scale up to 240 undergraduate and 293 postgraduate seats as operations expand.
