Health Care

Access to health care in Greater Toronto is among the best in the world. The GTA has 60 hospitals, 10 of which are teaching hospitals associated with the University of Toronto or other medical training institutions. Greater Toronto is also home to 37 medical research clinics.

Hospitals are classified as public, private, federal, and cancer-care institutions. Many, such as Toronto’s Hospital For Sick Children, Mount Sinai, Princess Margaret Hospital and the University Health Network are internationally known for their advanced care, teaching and research. The GTA has Canada’s largest concentration of medical specialists.

The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) covers the cost of medically necessary services for all permanent residents of Ontario who spend at least 183 days a year in the province. The health care system is funded primarily through income and payroll taxes and recently, personal contributions are being considered.

Canadian citizens, landed immigrants and official refugees qualify for the Ontario Provincial Health Plan. An identifying health card must be presented to the doctor, clinic or hospital. Emergency wards cannot refuse treatment to anyone.

Residents of other Canadian provinces are automatically covered by their own provincial plans when they enter Ontario.

Foreign workers are also eligible for OHIP if they hold a valid work permit or employment authorization which names a Canadian employer situated in Ontario and a prospective occupation, and is valid for at least six months.
Private health insurance is recommended for visitors or non-Canadian residents awaiting coverage. Many people also purchase private insurance to cover drugs and services not covered by OHIP.

Visits to doctors, most diagnostic tests, and non-cosmetic surgery are covered by the plan. Medication, dental and optometric services are not covered, except for some services provided to seniors and social assistance recipients.

The GTA also has a wide variety of licensed therapists, chiropractors, natural and alternative medical services, and the large Asian population ensures access to traditional Asian medicine. Given the cosmopolitan population of the GTA, medical professionals are accustomed to dealing with language barriers and cultural sensitivities, and increasingly speak a second language.

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