Couchiching Ontario Health Team

03/19/2026

👪 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟱𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 will be connected to primary care over the next year

Through the 2026 Budget, Ontario is also increasing overall funding for the plan to a total of $3.4 billion between 2025 and 2029.

These steps and investment will help ensure more people can see a family doctor or nurse practitioner when and where they need one.

𝗢𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻.

Since the initiative began, nearly 330,000 people across the province have been connected to primary care.

𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱:
👪 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟱𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 will be connected to primary care over the next year
✅ 𝟭𝟮𝟰 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 have been identified and will be notified of their application status in the coming weeks

Through the 2026 Budget, Ontario is also increasing overall funding for the plan to a total of $3.4 billion between 2025 and 2029.

These steps and investment will help ensure more people can see a family doctor or nurse practitioner when and where they need one.

Read today’s announcement to learn more: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007191/ontario-creating-new-provincewide-primary-care-medical-record-system

03/19/2026

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month – do you know your risk level?

You may be at a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer if you have:

• Signs or symptoms of colorectal cancer, including unexplained changes in bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhea, blood in or on the stool and a change in size/shape/consistency of stools.
• Had colorectal cancer or polyps before
• A family history of colorectal cancer in a parent, sibling, or child (first-degree relative)
• An inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
• An inherited cancer syndrome such as Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)

Most people aged 50 to 74 are at average risk and should get screened with FIT every 2 years. To get your free FIT, talk to your primary care provider. If you don’t have one, call Health811 at 8-1-1. First Nation communities can contact their health centre.

03/18/2026

Ontario residents can connect with a Registered Dietitian to access free nutrition information and advice with Health811.

To speak to a dietitian for questions regarding healthy eating and nutrition, you can:
📞 call 811 (TTY: 711)

Dietitians are available Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

🔎 Looking for nutrition advice?

Ontario residents can connect with a Registered Dietitian to access free nutrition information and advice with Health811.

To speak to a dietitian for questions regarding healthy eating and nutrition, you can:

📞 call 811 (TTY: 711)
💻 chat online

https://health811.ontario.ca/static/fr-ca/guest/spotlight/hcns-nutrition-program-fr?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhfacebook&utm_content=app.dashsocial.com%2Fon-accessibility-en%2Flibrary%2Fmedia%2F652450843

Connect with a dietitian for information on :

🍽️ general eating for physical activity
🎯 diabetes and managing blood sugars
🥗 nutrition for chronic diseases
🫙 food safety and food storage

Dietitians are available Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.



Ontario Ministry of Health | Dietitians of Canada

03/18/2026

No family doctor? We’ve got you covered!

The Couchiching OHT Unattached Clinic provides primary care for people living in Couchiching who don’t have a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

Our Nurse Practitioners offer routine check-ups, diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, prescribe medications, manage chronic conditions, order tests, and make specialist referrals.

THIS IS NOT A WALK-IN CLINIC, but same-day appointments are available when needed.

We are located in the Couchiching Family Health Team at 119 Memorial Avenue in Orillia.

Book now by calling 705-329-3649 extension 231 or online at https://coht.ca/couchiching-oht-unattached-clinic/

03/18/2026

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿? 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽!
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀:
✔️ Register yourself, or your whole family, and a Care Connector will help match you to a doctor or nurse practitioner accepting new patients in your area.
✔️ No need to de-enrol from your current clinician—just sign up.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿:
📞 call 811 (available 24/7)
💻 visit ontario.ca/healthcareconnect
𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄:
Joining Health Care Connect does not guarantee an immediate match. Those who need urgent care will be placed first. To use the program, you must have a valid Ontario health card.

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿? 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽!

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀:
✔️ Register yourself, or your whole family, and a Care Connector will help match you to a doctor or nurse practitioner accepting new patients in your area.
✔️ No need to de-enrol from your current clinician—just sign up.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿:
📞 call 811 (available 24/7)
💻 visit ontario.ca/healthcareconnect

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄:
Joining Health Care Connect does not guarantee an immediate match. Those who need urgent care will be placed first. To use the program, you must have a valid Ontario health card.

03/17/2026

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Couchiching! 🍀

We wish you joy, good health, and a little extra luck today.

03/15/2026

It’s Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and we want you to know the signs of colorectal cancer.

As it develops, you may notice:
🔴 Blood in your stool (bright red or very dark)
⚖️ Unexplained weight loss
💩 Changes in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation, or feeling like you haven’t fully emptied your bowels)
😞 Persistent stomach discomfort

If you're experiencing any of these, don’t ignore them—talk to your doctor.

Colon cancer often has no early symptoms, and 9 out of 10 people can be cured if it’s caught early!

Don’t wait for symptoms to appear -> call the Simcoe Muskoka Cancer Screening Hotline 1-866-608-6910 to see if you are due for screening.

03/13/2026

Finding help shouldn’t be complicated.

1door.ca brings multiple mental health and substance use providers together - so you can access the right support, at the right time, through one simple entry point.

That’s the power of collaboration.

03/13/2026

𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽:
⏰ 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
🛏️ 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝘆 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲
Keep your bed and room cool, dark and quiet.
📖 𝗨𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗱
Try reading a book, taking a bath or meditating.
📵 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲
Avoid phones, laptops and other screens before bedtime
☕ 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀
Avoid alcohol and caffeine a few hours before bed.
🏋️ 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆
Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day – but skip intense workouts right before bed.
Be sure to talk to your primary care provider if you continue to experience challenges.

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽? 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 😴

Sleep plays a huge role in your health and well-being. Not getting enough sleep affects your mood, memory, concentration and even your ability to manage stress and emotions.

𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽:

⏰ 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.

🛏️ 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝘆 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲
Keep your bed and room cool, dark and quiet.

📖 𝗨𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗱
Try reading a book, taking a bath or meditating.

📵 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲
Avoid phones, laptops and other screens before bedtime

☕ 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀
Avoid alcohol and caffeine a few hours before bed.

🏋️ 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆
Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day – but skip intense workouts right before bed.

Be sure to talk to your primary care provider if you continue to experience challenges.

03/12/2026

The Couchiching Ontario Health Team and the Couchiching Family Health Team are working closely with Health Care Connect to support connecting people with a Family Physician or Nurse Practitioner.

For help with getting your name on the Health Care Connect waitlist, please call 811 or visit https://health811.ontario.ca/static/guest/home

NEW! If you have a health care provider in another area, you no longer need to give them up in order to join the list!

03/12/2026

03/12/2026

Need help accessing benefits or income supports? You don’t have to navigate it on your own.
211 can help guide you to programs you may be eligible for, including government benefits and financial assistance. During tax season, this support can be especially helpful if you’re reviewing your income or looking for additional supports.
📞 Dial 2-1-1 or 🌐 visit 211ontario.ca to find income supports in your community.

Need help accessing benefits or income supports? You don’t have to navigate it on your own.

211 can help guide you to programs you may be eligible for, including government benefits and financial assistance. During tax season, this support can be especially helpful if you’re reviewing your income or looking for additional supports.

📞 Dial 2-1-1 or 🌐 visit 211ontario.ca to find income supports in your community.