February 21, 2025

BRACEBRIDGE, ON – Parry Sound–Muskoka is in the middle of a healthcare crisis. More than 20,000 people in our region are without a family doctor, and rural residents are being forced to travel long distances just to access basic medical care. Local hospitals are under immense pressure, with staffing shortages and funding gaps putting essential services at risk. Instead of fixing these problems, Doug Ford’s government is making things worse—underfunding public and not-for-profit healthcare, while pushing privatization and for-profit healthcare, while leaving rural communities behind.

“No one should have to travel hours just to see a doctor,” says Parry Sound-Muskoka Green candidate Matt Richter. “We need to invest in local healthcare like the proposed Nurse Practitioner-led clinic in Carling and the Community Health Hub in Gravenhurst, so that everyone—no matter where they live—can get the care they deserve, close to home.”

The Ontario Greens have a bold vision for healthcare: more doctors, better funding, and a commitment to protect and strengthen public healthcare. By working across party lines, Matt will push for immediate investments to ensure people in Parry Sound–Muskoka can count on high-quality care when they need it most. Healthcare is a key part of Matt’s 5-Point Plan to fight for the people of Parry Sound–Muskoka.

Matt Richter and the Ontario Greens will:

• Fight for two new hospitals in Huntsville and Bracebridge that truly serve each community’s needs.
• Recruit more family doctors and nurse practitioners to ensure the 20,000 people in our region without primary care can get the support they need, close to home.
• Expand healthcare options in rural communities by investing in nurse-led clinics, mobile health hubs, and community-based care to prevent long-distance travel for basic medical needs.
• Restore and strengthen public healthcare funding to stop creeping privatization and ensure hospitals have the resources they need to provide timely, high-quality care.
• Expand OHIP to cover mental health care so people in rural communities can access the support they need without long wait times or out-of-pocket costs.
• Increase wages and retention incentives for nurses and healthcare workers to address staffing shortages and keep local hospitals fully operational.

“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege,” says Matt. “People in our communities deserve the same access to doctors, nurses, and emergency care as anyone in Ontario. I’m ready to fight for a system that puts people first.”