Our PC government continues to make progress connecting Nova Scotians with primary care providers.
As of January 1, 2026, there are 66,768 Nova Scotians on the Need a Family Practice Registry. This is a decrease from 68,490 reported on December 1.
By the end of December, the registry declined by 1,722 people. This change reflects Nova Scotians being connected to a family doctor or nurse practitioner, new individuals joining the registry, and others being removed because they no longer require a primary care provider.
Currently, 6.3 per cent of Nova Scotia’s population is on the registry. Nova Scotia Health will provide the next update in early February.
Need a Family Practice Registry as of January 2026
Behind these numbers is real action for recruitment:
- Training more doctors through the new Cape Breton University medical school, which will welcome 30 students each year
- Supporting internationally trained physicians through PACE (Physician Assessment Centre of Excellence): helping qualified doctors earn licensure more quickly while meeting Nova Scotia’s high standards for safe, ethical practice.
- Opening more Dalhousie medical seats for Nova Scotians: five new first-year seats this fall, and five more in 2026-27—growing our homegrown talent pipeline.
Our PC government has also taken significant action for healthcare retention:
- Introducing a new Physician Retirement Fund: helping retain more doctors by supporting long-term financial security. The program provides annual provincial contributions toward physicians’ retirement savings, based on their years of service, employment status, and personal contributions.
- Investing in Health Homes: a team-based approach where family doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, social workers, and family practice nurses work together to deliver coordinated, patient-focused care. There are now over 119 Health Homes across Nova Scotia, and we continue to invest in expanding and strengthening them.
- Introducing a new fee-for-service model: giving family physicians a new payment option that rewards time, effort, and patient care. Doctors will now have compensation that reflects their hours worked, services provided, and the number of patients they serve, along with new grants and annual payments tied to patient volume.
There’s so much more to come in 2026 and the direction is clear: More Care, Faster.