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Kitchener-Waterloo - Family Medicine

McMaster UniversityKitchener-Waterloo, OntarioIMG stream

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Open on carms.ca(opens in a new tab)

CaRMS program description, 2027 match, last approved 24 Sep 2026 · See the 2026 version

2027 match programs, from CaRMS as of 5 Oct 2026. Programs can still change until file review opens 26 November; we re-check every two weeks. Always confirm on CaRMS (opens in a new tab).

Positions (approx. quota)
2 positions
Length
2 years
Stream
IMG
Discipline
Family Medicine
Applications per year
601+
Applicants offered interviews
0–25%
Accreditation
Accredited
CaRMS program ID
35966

Bands are 5-year averages the program reports to CaRMS. They describe past cycles, not your odds.

Summary

  • This is a 2-year McMaster family medicine program based at the Kitchener-Waterloo site, with training in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Wellesley.
  • Hospital training takes place at Waterloo Regional Health Network and Cambridge Memorial Hospital, and the second year includes 2 blocks of Rural Family Medicine.
  • IMGs must complete a 12-week assessment verification period and a return-of-service commitment in Ontario.

Training

Setting
  • Urban community
  • Rural / remote
Sites

3 teaching sites

  • Centre for Family Medicine
  • Waterloo Regional Health Network
  • Cambridge Memorial Hospital
Rural exposure
Required rural rotation
Focus areas
  • Longitudinal / integrated
Getting around
  • A car is required
Highlights
  • Over 20 teaching clinics, including refugee health, sports medicine and mental health.

By year

PGY-1
  • Family Medicine4 blocks
  • Care of the Hospitalized Adult2 blocks
  • Emergency Medicine2 blocks
  • Women's Health and Obstetrics2 blocks
  • Care of Children2 blocks
  • Family Medicine/Academic Programming (Block 7)1 block
  • Continuity Family Medicine homebase clinics
PGY-2
  • Family Medicine4 blocks
  • Elective3 blocks
  • Rural Family Medicine2 blocks
  • Core Medicine/Surgery Selective (site-based options)2 blocks
  • Care of the Elderly1 block
  • Family Medicine/Academic Programming (Block 7)1 block
  • Continuity Family Medicine homebase clinics

From the program's rotation list.

Selection

Application file components
  • CV
  • Electives
  • Examinations
  • Extra-curricular
  • Leadership skills
  • MSPRs
  • Personal letters
  • Reference documents
  • Research/Publications
  • Transcripts
Return of service
Required · IMGs only
IMG requirements
  • Assessment by a provincial clinical assessment program
  • Observerships don’t count as clinical experience
Applications per year
601+
Applicants offered interviews
0–25%

Interviews

Dates (2027 match)
15 Jan 2027
Mode
Virtual
Format
  • Traditional (one on one/two on one)

Programs can change interview dates. Confirm on carms.ca.

Pay

Provincial scale, last updated 6 Jan 2025 · check the current agreement(opens in a new tab)

Contract expired, may change.

Annual salary by PGY level, Ontario
LevelAnnual salary
PGY-1
$73,367 / year
PGY-2
$79,670 / year

One provincial scale for Ontario, set by the resident agreement, so every program there pays the same. Showing the 2 levels this program covers.

Call

Call (provincial max)
7 nights in 28 in-house

The union agreement’s cap for all residents in the province; your program’s actual call schedule may be lighter. Check with the program.

PARO agreement, 1 Jul 2023 to 30 Jun 2026. The term has ended; its terms continue until a new agreement is signed.

Teaching sites

  • Centre for Family Medicine (Kitchener)
  • Waterloo Regional Health Network (Kitchener)
  • Cambridge Memorial Hospital (Cambridge)

Hospital facts

Hospital size and activity: Ontario doesn't publish this as open data.

Unfilled positions in past years

Open after round 1 in 5 of 8 years (2019–2026); still open after round 2 in 2 of 9 years.

Positions at this site, all streams. Site as CaRMS lists it: Kitchener-Waterloo.

Positions at this site, all streams, still open after round 1 and after round 2, by year. Each count above zero links to the CaRMS list page it comes from.
YearOpen after round 1Open after round 2
2018not available0
20193 positions open after round 1 in 2019, CaRMS list (opens in a new tab)0
20201 position open after round 1 in 2020, CaRMS list (opens in a new tab)1 position open after round 2 in 2020, CaRMS list (opens in a new tab)
20211 position open after round 1 in 2021, CaRMS list (opens in a new tab)1 position open after round 2 in 2021, CaRMS list (opens in a new tab)
20223 positions open after round 1 in 2022, CaRMS list (opens in a new tab)0
20236 positions open after round 1 in 2023, CaRMS list (opens in a new tab)0
202400
202500
202600

CaRMS’s first-round list for 2018 was not found, so round 1 is counted over 8 years and round 2 over 9.

A position can go unfilled because of where the site is, because it is open to IMGs only or to another restricted stream, or because the quota changed late. It says nothing about the quality of the training. Verify with the CaRMS lists. Source: CaRMS’s lists of positions open after round 1 and after round 2, as read in October 2026 (latest: 2026 round 1 (CaRMS PDF, opens in a new tab), 2026 round 2 (CaRMS PDF, opens in a new tab)). A site’s numbers are shown when it had positions open after round 1 in at least 2 of 8 years or at least 3 in one year.

Contacts

Grouped by the titles CaRMS lists. The program office (administrators and coordinators) usually answers questions about the program and applying; the director leads the training.

Program officeadministrators and coordinators

info@ontariofmp.ca

IMG Contact Information · Email

Program director

  • Dr. Heather Waters

CaRMS lists no email for the director.

Per CaRMS. Staff change during the cycle, so check the CaRMS program page(opens in a new tab) before emailing.

More links

Location

Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario

Loading amenities…

About the city

Public statistics for the place named by this program’s location label, each with its source and reference period. They describe the place, not the program, and are not a ranking. Check each source before you rely on it. This label covers more than one place, so each is listed on its own (A to Z); open one to read it.

Kitchener

Climate

Canadian Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Each value comes from the nearest weather station that reports it, not from the city itself.

January average
−6.3 °C Kitchener/Waterloo, 5.1 km away
July average
20.2 °C Kitchener/Waterloo, 5.1 km away
Snowfall
114.5 cm a year Toronto Pearson (Airport), 70.7 km away (more than 50 km, so it may differ from the city)
Days below −20 °C
6.5 days a year Kitchener/Waterloo, 5.1 km away

People

2021 Census. Figures are for the municipality of Kitchener, not the metropolitan area. Statistics Canada rounds counts, so small places are approximate.

Population
256,885 people up 10.1% from 2016
Official languages
English only 91.5% · French only 0.0% · English and French 6.2% · neither 2.3% Share of residents who can conduct a conversation in each. This is not the language spoken at home.
Immigrants
29.7% of residents arrived 2016–2021: 6.4% · non-permanent residents: 3.7%
Indigenous identity
1.9% of residents
How people commute
car, truck or van 88.5% · public transit 5.7% · walking or cycling 3.8% · other 2.0% Average commute: 22.3 minutes. Shares are of people who commute.The way Canadians commute was altered in 2021 by the pandemic, with lockdowns to slow the spread of COVID-19 and changes in how and where Canadians worked leading to 2.8 million fewer commuters, compared with five years earlier. Statistics Canada, The Daily, 30 Nov 2022(opens in a new tab)
Median household income
$87,000 before tax $76,500 after tax · income year 2020, in 2020 dollars

Rural and remote

This describes the place named by the program’s location label. Programs can train in several towns, so it is not every site.

Population centre
Kitchener, a large urban population centre (100,000 or more people) 522,888 people in 2021
Remoteness index
0.078 0 is least remote, 1 is most remote. Statistics Canada calls this index experimental.

Housing, cost and work

Each figure names the area it covers. A missing line means the source publishes nothing for this area.

Rental vacancy rate
4.0% October 2025 survey, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario (census metropolitan area). The share of purpose-built rentals (three units and over) vacant, not a rent.
Basic cost of living
$55,434 a year Market Basket Measure 2025, Ontario, population 500,000 and over, for two adults with two children. A modest, basic basket (the poverty line), not a resident’s budget. A size-class region is not the town itself.
Unemployment rate
7.7% September 2026, three-month average, seasonally adjusted, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario (census metropolitan area); standard error 0.8 points. A survey estimate.

Job outlook

Employment and Social Development Canada’s rating for the occupation in the economic region. It is not a count of jobs, and says nothing about CaRMS positions or your match.

Outlook, 2025–2027
Very good The employment outlook will be Very good for general practitioners and family physicians (NOC 31102) in the Kitchener - Waterloo - Barrie region for the 2025-2027 period.
Canada-wide, to 2033
Strong risk of Shortage ESDC’s projection for general practitioners and family physicians, 2024–2033. Recent conditions, 2021–2023: Strong signs of Shortage.

Waterloo

Climate

Canadian Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Each value comes from the nearest weather station that reports it, not from the city itself.

January average
−6.3 °C Kitchener/Waterloo, 13.5 km away
July average
20.2 °C Kitchener/Waterloo, 13.5 km away
Snowfall
114.5 cm a year Toronto Pearson (Airport), 76.9 km away (more than 50 km, so it may differ from the city)
Days below −20 °C
6.5 days a year Kitchener/Waterloo, 13.5 km away

People

2021 Census. Figures are for the municipality of Waterloo, not the metropolitan area. Statistics Canada rounds counts, so small places are approximate.

Population
121,436 people up 15.7% from 2016
Official languages
English only 89.6% · French only 0.0% · English and French 8.6% · neither 1.7% Share of residents who can conduct a conversation in each. This is not the language spoken at home.
Immigrants
27.5% of residents arrived 2016–2021: 5.6% · non-permanent residents: 8.7%
Indigenous identity
1.3% of residents
How people commute
car, truck or van 83.9% · public transit 6.5% · walking or cycling 6.9% · other 2.7% Average commute: 20.8 minutes. Shares are of people who commute.The way Canadians commute was altered in 2021 by the pandemic, with lockdowns to slow the spread of COVID-19 and changes in how and where Canadians worked leading to 2.8 million fewer commuters, compared with five years earlier. Statistics Canada, The Daily, 30 Nov 2022(opens in a new tab)
Median household income
$94,000 before tax $82,000 after tax · income year 2020, in 2020 dollars

Rural and remote

This describes the place named by the program’s location label. Programs can train in several towns, so it is not every site.

Population centre
Kitchener, a large urban population centre (100,000 or more people) 522,888 people in 2021
Remoteness index
0.083 0 is least remote, 1 is most remote. Statistics Canada calls this index experimental.

Housing, cost and work

Each figure names the area it covers. A missing line means the source publishes nothing for this area.

Rental vacancy rate
4.0% October 2025 survey, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario (census metropolitan area). The share of purpose-built rentals (three units and over) vacant, not a rent.
Basic cost of living
$55,434 a year Market Basket Measure 2025, Ontario, population 500,000 and over, for two adults with two children. A modest, basic basket (the poverty line), not a resident’s budget. A size-class region is not the town itself.
Unemployment rate
7.7% September 2026, three-month average, seasonally adjusted, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario (census metropolitan area); standard error 0.8 points. A survey estimate.

Job outlook

Employment and Social Development Canada’s rating for the occupation in the economic region. It is not a count of jobs, and says nothing about CaRMS positions or your match.

Outlook, 2025–2027
Very good The employment outlook will be Very good for general practitioners and family physicians (NOC 31102) in the Kitchener - Waterloo - Barrie region for the 2025-2027 period.
Canada-wide, to 2033
Strong risk of Shortage ESDC’s projection for general practitioners and family physicians, 2024–2033. Recent conditions, 2021–2023: Strong signs of Shortage.

Sources and licences

  • Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Adapted from Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Cartographic Boundary Files.
  • Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Rental Market Survey, October 2025 (vacancy rates), and Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0130-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation or Statistics Canada of this product.
  • Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada (Employment and Social Development Canada, Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS), 2024 to 2033 projections).
  • Data Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (Canadian Climate Normals 1991-2020).
  • Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada (Employment and Social Development Canada, 3-Year Employment Outlooks).
  • Adapted from Statistics Canada, Index of Remoteness (17-26-0001), 2021. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
  • Adapted from Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0459-01 Labour force characteristics by census metropolitan area, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted, reference month 2026-09. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
  • Adapted from Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0066-01 Market Basket Measure (MBM) thresholds for the reference family by Market Basket Measure region, component and base year, 2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
  • Adapted from Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0011-01 Population and dwelling counts: Canada and population centres, 2021 Census. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
  • Adapted from Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0002-01 Population and dwelling counts: Canada and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2021 Census. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
  • Adapted from Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0057-01 Household income statistics by household type: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions, 2021 Census. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
  • Adapted from Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0173-01 Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions, 2021 Census. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
  • Adapted from Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0266-01 Indigenous identity by Registered or Treaty Indian status: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions, 2021 Census. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
  • Adapted from Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0307-01 Immigrant status and period of immigration by place of birth: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions, 2021 Census. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
  • Adapted from Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0458-01 Main mode of commuting by commuting duration, time leaving for work, age and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions, 2021 Census. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

Independent. Not affiliated with CaRMS or the program. Programs edit their descriptions during the match; confirm on carms.ca (opens in a new tab) before you apply. Data last updated on CdnMD 6 Oct 2026.