Primary Care Network in Canada: What They Are & How They Work (2025)

Primary Care Network in Canada “Primary Care Network” (PCN) is a term you’ll see most formally in British Columbia and Alberta. It describes team‑based primary care that’s organized locally to improve access, attachment to a family doctor or nurse practitioner (NP), and coordinated services (mental health, chronic disease, pharmacy, social work, and more).

Other provinces run similar models under different names—Family Health Teams or Ontario Health Teams in Ontario, Groupes de médecine de famille (GMF) in Quebec, and various team‑based or collaborative primary care programs elsewhere. This guide explains what PCNs do, how to connect as a patient (especially if you’re new to Canada or don’t have a family doctor), and what PCN‑style teams mean for health‑care careers.

What is a Primary Care Network?

A Primary Care Network is a local partnership that brings together family physicians, NPs, and allied health professionals to provide comprehensive, continuous primary care in a defined community. Instead of relying on a single doctor’s office, a PCN organizes a team—for example:

Family physicians and NPs (most responsible providers, or MRPs)
Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
Social workers, counsellors, and mental health clinicians
Dietitians and diabetes educators
Respiratory therapists and COPD educators
Physiotherapists, occupational therapists, kinesiologists
Indigenous health navigators, community health workers, outreach workers
Care coordinators and administrative staff

Goals of a PCN typically include:

Helping residents attach to a regular primary care provider
Expanding access (same‑day/next‑day appointments, after‑hours options)
Coordinating care for people with chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, heart failure, COPD)
Integrating mental health and substance‑use services in primary care
Reducing pressure on emergency departments by offering timely primary care

BC’s Primary Care Networks (PCNs)

In BC, PCNs are community‑level partnerships between regional health authorities, Divisions of Family Practice, community partners, and Indigenous organizations. PCNs support a mix of services and sites in each community. You’ll commonly see:

Family practice clinics participating in a PCN (independent or health‑authority affiliated)
Nurse practitioner‑led clinics
Urgent and Primary Care Centres (UPCCs) for same‑day/after‑hours needs that aren’t emergencies
Attachment clinics/rosters to match patients without a family doctor/NP
Community health teams that include mental health, substance use, and chronic disease resources

How to find care in BC:

Start with HealthLink BC (8‑1‑1) for provincial service information.
Check your local Division of Family Practice website for PCN pages and patient attachment forms/waitlists.
If you have an urgent but non‑emergency concern and no provider, look for your community’s UPCC hours and instructions.
If you belong to an Indigenous community, ask about Indigenous‑led primary care options connected to the PCN.

What to expect as a patient: PCNs aim to attach you to a regular provider, then extend your care through team programs (e.g., diabetes education, perinatal care, seniors’ services). If your regular provider is away, the PCN may offer alternative clinicians who can see your record and keep your care plan moving.

Alberta’s Primary Care Networks (PCNs)

Alberta has operated PCNs since 2005, making it one of the longest‑running PCN systems in Canada. An Alberta PCN is a partnership between groups of family physicians and the provincial health system to provide team‑based primary care to a defined population.

Snapshot of Alberta PCNs:

Province‑wide coverage through dozens of PCNs that each serve a geographic area or group of clinics
Physician‑led governance working with provincial/zone health teams
Emphasis on panel‑based care (every patient is attached to a regular provider) and Health Home models
Common team roles: nurses, NPs, pharmacists, social workers, behavioural health consultants, dietitians, exercise specialists
Services include chronic disease management, mental health services, maternity/newborn support, screening/immunization outreach, and care coordination

How to find care in Alberta:

Use “Find a Doctor” tools to search clinics accepting new patients in your area.
Visit your local PCN website for programs (e.g., nutrition classes, mental health workshops) that you can self‑refer to even while waiting for attachment.
If you’re unattached, ask about panel attachment or waitlist processes at clinics within your PCN.

What to expect as a patient: PCNs often run workshops and classes (e.g., Craving Change, diabetes self‑management), after‑hours clinics, and care navigation services that connect you to community resources.

What other provinces use instead of “PCNs”

While the exact PCN label is most common in BC and Alberta, the team‑based primary care concept exists across Canada under different names.

Ontario

Family Health Teams (FHTs): Interprofessional primary care organizations that include family physicians and allied health professionals working together under one roof. Patients are rostered to the team.
Ontario Health Teams (OHTs): Broader, system‑integration entities that bring hospitals, primary care, home care, mental health agencies, and community services together for a defined population. OHTs aren’t clinics themselves; they coordinate care across organizations.
How to connect: Use the province’s primary care and Health Care Connect resources to look for providers taking new patients; ask local FHTs about intake.

Quebec

Groupes de médecine de famille (GMF): Team‑based family medicine groups that offer rostered primary care with extended hours and interprofessional services. Some GMFs are GMF‑U (university‑affiliated) for teaching.
How to connect: Register with the provincial guichet d’accès à un médecin de famille (GAMF) to be matched to a family doctor; many GMFs also host walk‑in options.

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Atlantic Canada, and the Territories

Variations include primary health care networks/teams, collaborative emergency centres, community health centres, and integrated family practice models. Names and structures differ, but the principles—team‑based, locally organized, prevention‑oriented care—are consistent.

How PCNs (and equivalents) help patients

Team‑based primary care improves both access and continuity:

Attachment: You get a regular provider (family doctor or NP) responsible for your overall care and coordination.
Access: Many teams run advanced access scheduling (book on the day you call for urgent needs) and after‑hours options, reducing ER visits for non‑emergencies.
Chronic disease support: Nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and educators help you manage diabetes, hypertension, COPD/asthma, heart disease, and more.
Mental health & substance use: In‑clinic counsellors or behavioural health consultants provide short‑term therapy, group programs, and coordinated referrals.
Medication optimization: Embedded pharmacists review complex medication lists, support deprescribing, and improve adherence.
Navigation & social supports: Social workers and navigators connect you to income supports, housing resources, and community programs.

How to get connected (patients & newcomers)

Use the steps for your province. If you are a newcomer, bring government ID, immigration documents, and your health card/coverage details (or proof you’ve applied).

British Columbia

Call 8‑1‑1 (HealthLink BC) to learn about local PCN services and clinics.
Visit your Division of Family Practice site; many have patient attachment request forms.
For urgent but non‑emergency needs, check your local Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC) hours and whether you can book online.
Ask settlement agencies or Indigenous primary care services about priority attachment supports.

Alberta

Use the province’s Find a Doctor tool to identify clinics taking new patients.
Search your local PCN site for programs you can join (diabetes education, mental health classes) while you wait.
Ask clinics about panel attachment and whether they maintain a waitlist.

Ontario

Use Health Care Connect (or current provincial attachment programs) if you don’t have a provider.
Contact Family Health Teams near you; some accept self‑referrals or maintain intake forms.
If you cannot find a provider, ask about NP-led clinics and community health centres (CHCs) in your area.

Quebec

Register with GAMF for matching to a family physician.
Look up your nearest GMF for walk‑in or extended‑hours options.

Atlantic, Prairies, Territories

Check your province’s health authority website for primary care attachment programs and after‑hours clinics.
Ask local community health centres or settlement agencies for intake pathways.

What to bring when registering/first visit

Provincial health card (or temporary coverage letter) and government photo ID
Medication list (including over‑the‑counter and supplements)
Key medical history (diagnoses, surgeries, allergies, immunizations)
Specialist letters, lab results, or imaging reports if you have them
Contact information for past clinics or providers (if transferring care)

Jobs & careers in PCNs and equivalents

Team‑based primary care has broadened career options beyond traditional solo practice. Common roles:

Physicians & NPs: MRPs for patient panels; often work in interdisciplinary teams with shared on‑call/after‑hours.
Registered Nurses/LPNs: Triage, chronic disease clinics, immunizations, case management, remote monitoring.
Pharmacists: Medication reviews, chronic disease optimization (e.g., diabetes, heart failure), deprescribing initiatives.
Social workers/behavioural health clinicians: Short‑term therapy, crisis support, referrals, social prescribing.
Dietitians/rehab professionals: Individual and group education, program design, population health projects.
Administrative/care coordinators: Panel management, recalls, screening outreach, data quality.

Hiring tips:

Target your local PCN or equivalent (FHT/GMF) with a résumé that shows team‑based practice (collaboration, panel management, quality improvement).
Highlight population‑health results (e.g., A1C reductions, vaccination coverage, smoking cessation outcomes, reduced ER visits for enrolled patients).
For internationally educated clinicians, verify provincial licensing steps first, then seek PCN/FHT/GMF roles aligned with your license.

Primary Care Network vs. other team‑based models (quick comparison)

Model	Where	What it is	How to access
Primary Care Network (PCN)	BC, Alberta	Local partnership organizing family practices/NP clinics + allied teams for a community	PCN websites, health authority pages, 8‑1‑1 (BC), Find a Doctor (AB)
Family Health Team (FHT)	Ontario	Interprofessional team with rostered patients; physician groups + allied staff	Contact local FHTs; Health Care Connect intake
Ontario Health Team (OHT)	Ontario	System‑integration entity; coordinates across hospitals, primary care, home/community care	Not a clinic; use FHT/NP‑Led Clinic/CHC pathways
GMF / GMF‑U	Quebec	Group family practices (some teaching) with extended hours and team services	Register via GAMF; contact local GMF
Community Health Centre (CHC)	Many provinces	Interdisciplinary primary care, often for underserved groups, sometimes with dental or outreach	Self‑refer or be referred; check the local CHC site

FAQs

1) Is a Primary Care Network the same across Canada?

No. “PCN” is the label in BC and Alberta. Other provinces use different names, but the team‑based approach is similar.

2) Do PCNs assign you a family doctor?

PCNs aim to attach you to the most responsible provider (family doctor or NP). Attachment depends on local capacity; some communities run waitlists.

3) How long is the wait to get attached?

It varies by community. Urban centres with provider shortages often have longer waits. Use team programs (e.g., classes, group visits) while waiting.

4) Can I see specialists through a Primary Care Network?

Your PCN‑attached provider handles referrals to specialists and coordinates follow‑up. Some teams host visiting specialty clinics.

5) Are PCNs free?

Primary care is publicly funded for eligible residents. Some services (e.g., device supplies, certain forms) may have out‑of‑pocket costs.

6) What’s the difference between a Primary Care Network and a walk‑in clinic?

Walk‑ins handle single problems without an ongoing relationship. PCNs focus on continuous, comprehensive care with a team that knows your history.

7) Are PCNs for mental health, too?

Yes. Many PCN teams include counsellors/behavioural health clinicians and can connect you to community mental health services.

8) Can newcomers without a family doctor use Primary Care Network services?

Yes—start with provincial attachment programs (e.g., Health Care Connect, PCN intake, UPCC/after‑hours). Bring immigration documents and any medical records you have.

9) How do Ontario Health Teams relate to Family Health Teams?

OHTs coordinate systems; FHTs deliver clinical primary care. You enrol with a provider/team (FHT/NP clinic/CHC), not with an OHT.

10) What role do pharmacists play on PCN teams?

They optimize medication therapy, run chronic disease clinics, and work with physicians/NPs on safe prescribing and deprescribing.

11) Can I change my family doctor within a PCN?

Usually, you remain attached to one provider for continuity. If you need to transfer, ask your clinic about local policies and capacity.

12) Are virtual visits part of PCNs?

Yes. Most primary care teams offer phone/video options when appropriate and documented in your chart.

Final word

Primary Care Networks—and their provincial equivalents—are Canada’s path to team‑based, accessible primary care. Whether you’re a patient seeking attachment or a clinician exploring team practice, the starting point is local: check your health authority/PCN (or FHT/GMF/CHC) pages, register for attachment, and use team programs while you wait. The result is coordinated care that follows you over time—not just a one‑off appointment.