Grant: Project Grant

Across Canada, efforts to improve primary care have grown since the 2000s, but most evaluations happen after policies are already in place. This limits the ability to learn and adjust in real time. Quebec is now preparing to launch its first primary care policy in fall 2026, focused on better coordinated and integrated care. This offers a unique chance to study a major health policy as it is being implemented and to provide timely feedback to policymakers in Quebec and elsewhere. This project will work with partners to: 1) develop a shared understanding of how the policy is expected to create change; 2) evaluate its implementation in real time at the system, organizational, professional, and clinical levels; 3) create a practical toolkit to support policymakers in implementing primary care policies more effectively. Using a participatory case study across several regions, the team will collect data from policy documents, interviews, observations, and quarterly indicators such as access and continuity. By combining qualitative and quantitative findings, we will assess how the policy is progressing and identify what helps or hinders its implementation. A national Steering and Knowledge Mobilization Committee will guide communication with policy and decision-makers, and the final toolkit will be tested with policy and decision-makers across Canada to ensure its clarity and usefulness. With expertise spanning research, policy, management, clinical care, and lived experience, the team will also help train students and emerging researchers. This will be the first real-time evaluation of a primary care policy in Canada, offering valuable insights to support the implementation of equitable, integrated care that better meets people's needs.