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Whitehorse, YT – The Yukon government says its ongoing efforts to tackle health care bottlenecks are paying off, reporting a significant decrease in the number of residents waiting for a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
According to territorial data released in September, the “Find a Primary Care Provider” waitlist dropped to 1,827 people, a 60 per cent reduction from the 4,606 people recorded in January 2026.
Health and Social Services Minister, Brad Cathers, credited the milestone to a combination of targeted medical programs, clinic expansions, and active outreach by Insured Health Services to update registry lists.
“The joint efforts of the Yukon government, Yukon doctors, nurse practitioners and Yukon Hospitals have connected more people with family doctors and nurse practitioners,” Cathers said in a statement. “The 60 per cent drop in the Find a Primary Care Provider list is resulting in Yukoners who have been on the waitlist for years finally having a primary care provider.”
Territorial officials point to a few key factors behind the falling waitlist numbers. Thirty-five family doctors are currently participating in the Longitudinal Family Medicine program, each committing to take on at least 10 new patients from the waitlist annually. The Alliance Health clinic is also actively building its capacity to absorb patients from the registry through the strategic recruitment of nurse practitioners. Finally, Insured Health Services staff have been proactively contacting individuals on the waitlist to verify their status.
The registry is open to eligible Whitehorse-area residents who are 16 or older, possess a valid Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan, and currently lack a regular family doctor or nurse practitioner.
The coverage zone encompasses the Whitehorse region, extending along the South Klondike Highway to Annie Lake Road, the North Klondike Highway to Braeburn, the North Alaska Highway to Champagne Landing, and the South Alaska Highway to Jake’s Corner. Officials note that when families register together under a single application, the territory attempts to match the entire household to the same provider or clinic.
Residents looking to register online, check participating clinics, or download paper forms can visit yukon.ca/find-primary-care-provider. Paper submissions can be dropped off in-person at Insured Health Services on the 4th floor of 204 Lambert Street in Whitehorse.
