The Township of Warwick wants help recruiting a family doctor.
Council approved a $5,500 membership fee to initiate discussions with Blue Coast Primary Care at its recent meeting.
Mayor Todd Case said the municipality is trying to be proactive.
"As everybody knows, it's very hard to attract a doctor," said Case. "So, as far as we are concerned as a community, this is a step in the right direction to look after our future when it comes to healthcare needs."
The group helped recruit a new physician to the nearby Arkona Medical Clinic last summer.
Case hopes Warwick could be just as lucky.
"That's why we're making the investment. We're hoping to attract a doctor who likes the rural way of life and would love to set up a family practice in our community. So this investment is an investment we make as a community to try to attract such a doctor," he said. "With an aging population, there's such a need for doctors in rural Ontario and, again, as a municipality we're just trying to attract one."
Case said many residents travel outside of the community for care right now.
"From what I understand, a lot of people go to the Strathroy area for medical care, some go to Petrolia for the family health team, some even go as far as Sarnia. At the end of the day there is a shortage and we're just trying to look at our future and the future for our citizens," Case said.
Case said council decided to join the membership after hearing a presentation from the group near the end of 2023.
"We know it's not going to be easy, but at the end of the day standing still and doing nothing is going to get us nowhere," he said.
Since its inception in 2021, Blue Coast Primary Care has recruited 46 family physicians and assisted with the recruitment of many specialists.