New to the Region

As soon as you arrive in B.C., apply for the Medical Services Plan (MSP), the province’s medical plan that covers the cost of a medically necessary insured doctor services.

All B.C. residents must enrol in MSP, including:

• Non-permanent residents, such as those holding study and work permits valid for six months or more
• Applicants for permanent resident status who are the spouse or child of an eligible B.C. resident

Tourists and visitors to B.C. are not eligible for MSP.

Since you’ll have a waiting period before your MSP coverage starts, arrange for private medical insurance if you’re arriving in B.C. from outside of Canada.

If you’re coming to B.C. from another Canadian province or territory, you will be covered under your former provincial medical plan during the waiting period.

Learn more about the Medical Services Plan (MSP)

To find a primary health-care provider, register for the Health Connect Registry. Call 8-1-1 to register for the Health Connect Registry in languages other than English. You’ll need a Personal Health Number, found on your BC Services Card or BC Driver’s Licence, to register.

Without a primary health-care provider, you can visit an Urgent and Primary Care Centre or a walk-in health clinic. HealthLinkBC maintains a list of walk-in clinics.

Anyone in B.C. can call HealthLink BC’s 8-1-1 service to speak with a health service navigator.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. regulates the practice of medicine in B.C. To verify whether an individual is currently licensed, visit the College’s directory of licensed physicians and surgeons.

Fair PharmaCare helps B.C. families pay for many prescription drugs, dispensing fees, and some medical devices and supplies. The less a family earns, the more help they get. A family can be a single person or a couple, with or without children.

Learn more and register