Ontario announced a new medical school at York University. Here’s what we know so far

The Ontario government released new details about York University’s recently announced medical school in Vaughan on Wednesday.

The school was first announced in Premier Doug Ford’s 2024 budget last week; however details were sparse, with officials saying only that $9 million was being put aside for planning.

The government also said this will be the first medical school in Canada primarily focused on training family doctors.

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On Wednesday, the government said the school will host up to 80 undergraduate students and up to 102 postgraduate students starting in 2028.

Once the school is “operating at full capacity,” officials say it could open up 240 undergraduate seats and 293 postgraduate seats annually.

About 70 per cent of those postgraduate training seats will be dedicated to primary care.

"These new seats at York University, they represent Ontario's doctors of the future," the premier said while speaking in Vaughan, Ont. 

"The students that will graduate from here will be the next generation of health care professionals at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, in our long term care homes and community settings, and at clinics in Vaughan and throughout our province."

The government cited “modelling” that indicates this school, in addition to other initiatives to expand primary care teams, will help “connect up to 98 per cent of people in Ontario to primary care in the next several years.”

It’s unclear why York University was chosen as the partner institution for this new endeavour, as a December auditor general report found that an overreliance on international students and steadily decreasing domestic enrolment was putting the institution at financial risk.

When the new school was announced, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said he was not concerned about the university’s financial situation.

“I know York will do an amazing job,” he said.

Ford reiterated that York University had the government's full support.

"You could go to any area, any sector, any hospital or any university, and start poking holes in it," he said.

"I'll tell you, York University's one of the top universities in my opinion"

This is a developing news story. More to come.