Health Advice

Health Advice for Canada

There are no diseases that are particularly prone to Canada and vaccinations or immunizations are required to enter the country.

In general, if you have a medical emergency, the best bet is to find the nearest hospital and go to its emergency room. If the problem isn’t urgent, you can call a nearby hospital and ask for a referral to a local physician.

Hospital care for non-residents of Canada is charged at a daily rate or calculated based on medical condition and length of stay. Charges vary across the country, but range from $1,000-$2,000 CDN a day.

Hospital emergency rooms are open 24 hours for emergency care. Most cities also have walk-in clinics where non-emergency treatment or consultation is available without an appointment. Costs vary by clinic and medical attention required. For more information on health and safety for travellers to Canada, visit the Canada International website www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov/medical.asp.

Pharmacies are abundant but you may find that some medications, which are available over the counter in your home country, require a prescription in Canada.

Natural hazards that have been known to occur in Canada include blizzards, earthquarkes, floods, hail, landslides, snow avalanches, icebergs, sea ice and fog, tornadoes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.

Notwithstanding the above, Canada is generally regarded as one of the safest countries in the world in which to travel, however crime still exists and travellers should take usual precautions. Saskatchewan boasts the highest crime rate and Quebec the lowest.

To learn more about Canadian airport security guidelines, visit the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) website www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca.

For all emergencies including the fire department, ambulance or police service in Canada, call 911.