Wasaga Beach Welcomes Second Family Doctor in Less Than Two Years

Innovative approach means new doctor will operate out of the Town-owned Wasaga Beach Medical Centre; the state-of-the-art, ready-to-use practice environment is a key part of the Town’s doctor recruitment strategy                      

WASAGA BEACH – The Town of Wasaga Beach is welcoming its second family physician to town in less than two years.

Thanks to the Wasaga Beach Medical Centre and After-Hours Clinic, the Town’s newest family physician, Dr. Yannick Charette, has hit the ground running. Dr. Charette is already working out of the Town-operated clinic located at 160 Beck Street in Wasaga Beach. He plans to expand his practice to a full roster over the coming months. That means about 2000 Wasaga Beach residents who do not currently have a family doctor will now have access to primary care close to home.

The Wasaga Beach Medical and After-Hours Clinic is an important part of the Town’s doctor recruitment strategy.

Proactive recruitment efforts by the Town also include a $100,000 municipal family physician incentive program and a high level of coordination with the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team, the Georgian Bay Family Health Organization and the Georgian Bay Family Health Team.

Here’s why Council’s decision to re-open and invest in a Town-operated medical clinic matters:

• One of the biggest barriers to physician recruitment in small and mid-sized communities is the upfront cost and risk of establishing a private medical office. Young physicians, in particular, often graduate with significant debt and are reluctant to invest in leasing, renovating, and equipping a clinic space before they even begin practicing.

• Wasaga Beach has removed this barrier by creating a municipally funded, turn-key medical centre and after-hours clinic. The facility is fully equipped with modern exam rooms, shared technology, and administrative support—allowing new physicians to focus on patient care from day one rather than the financial and logistical burden of setting up a practice.

• The Wasaga Beach Medical Centre isn’t just an investment in healthcare infrastructure—it’s a strategic recruitment tool that lowers entry barriers, accelerates practice readiness, and signals that the community is serious about supporting physicians and their families long term.

• This model is especially attractive to early-career physicians who want greater flexibility and professional support. By offering a state-of-the-art, ready-to-use practice environment, the Town makes itself highly competitive compared to other communities recruiting doctors.

Since reopening, the Town’s community medical centre and after-hours clinic has served thousands of patients and families in Wasaga Beach. In February 2024, the Province invested more than $880,000 through the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team, resulting in expanded services at the clinic.

QUOTES

Mayor Brian Smith:

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Charette to our community. This is great news for the citizens of Wasaga Beach – it means about 2,000 residents will now have access to a family doctor,” said Mayor Brian Smith. “Topping up the Town’s family physician incentive program and re-opening the Wasaga Beach Medical Centre and After-Hours Clinic was a priority for this Council, and we got it done. While healthcare is a provincial responsibility, as Mayor, my job and the job of this Council is to ensure our residents have access to the services they need. That’s why we are making these investments, and it’s clear our innovative approach is working.”

Dr. Yannick Charette:

“The moment I arrived in Wasaga Beach, I knew this community was special. Visiting the new arena and library, and then watching my kids play at the beach, I fell in love with this community right away," said Dr. Yannick Charette. “The Town of Wasaga Beach has been incredibly supportive, and it’s been a pleasure working with Town Hall staff. I’m impressed by the municipality’s commitment to expanding services through the Wasaga Beach Medical Clinic. Having a state-of-the-art medical centre and after-hours clinic in a small town is invaluable — not only for me as a new family physician, but for my patients. It means more options, more timely care, and better health outcomes. I look forward to joining the strong network of family physicians and healthcare partners dedicated to serving the people of Wasaga Beach.”

Dr. Harry O'Halloran Co-Chair of the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team:

“Dr. Charette is a welcome addition to our medical community," said Dr. Harry O'Halloran Co-Chair of the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team. "The South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team, the Georgian Bay Family Health Organization, the Georgian Bay Family Health Team, and the Town of Wasaga Beach have been collaborating to improve access to primary care through a joint physician recruitment campaign, and it is fantastic to see those efforts paying off.”

Dr. Gillian Brakel, Wasaga Beach Family Physician and Physician Recruitment Lead for the Georgian Bay Family Health Organization:

“Dr. Charette’s arrival will make a meaningful difference by improving access to care close to home and easing the strain on our Emergency Department and After-Hours Clinics.  This highlights the importance of working together," said Dr. Gillian Brakel, Wasaga Beach Family Physician and Physician Recruitment Lead for the Georgian Bay Family Health Organization.  "I am proud to be part of this great team that includes the Town of Wasaga Beach, the Georgian Bay Family Health Organization, the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team, the Georgian Bay Family Health Team, and our neighbouring municipalities.  Together, we are building a stronger foundation of care and ensuring families in Wasaga Beach have the healthcare they need, close to home.”

QUICK FACTS

• With a population of 25,000 set to double by 2051, the Ministry of Health considers Wasaga Beach an area of “high physician need.”
• The Town of Wasaga Beach continues its efforts to attract and retain doctors, family physicians and nurse practitioners by offering financial incentives for family physicians up to $100,000 and offering turn-key, fully staffed and fully equipped medical office space in the Town’s 160 Beck Street clinic.
• In 2023, Council successfully re-opened the Wasaga Beach Medical Centre and After-Hours Clinic, thanks to Dr. Joe Greyling and his generous donation of over $10,000 in equipment and furnishing to the Town to help support the project.
• Residents without a family doctor are encouraged to use the Wasaga Beach Medical Clinic for non-urgent care. To be matched with a local family doctor or nurse practitioner, residents are encouraged to join the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team’s (SGB OHT) waitlist here. Anyone who needs help completing forms can call 2-1-1 and ask to join the “South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team Primary Care Waitlist.”

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