Your health-care navigation guide
Here’s how to decide where to seek care based on your needs. Remember, this guide provides a general overview, and health-care services can vary depending on where you live:
- Personalized care: See your family doctor or nurse practitioner who knows your health-care needs best. Call their office for hours and instructions. If you don’t have one, register at HealthLinkBC.ca
- General health questions: Call 8-1-1 to speak with a nurse anytime.
- Pharmacy: Speak with your pharmacist who can prescribe for contraception and minor ailments. Learn more at SeeYourPharmacist.ca
- Mental health and substance use: Find nearby support and services at vch.ca/MentalHealth
- Urgent care: For non-life-threatening medical attention, visit an urgent and primary care centre. Check locations and hours at vch.ca/UPCC
- Emergency care: For life threatening medical attention, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest hospital. Note: BC Children’s Hospital also helps kids up to 16 for pediatric emergencies.
- Vaccinations: Book your flu or COVID-19 shots at GetVaccinated.gov.bc.ca or 1-833-838-2323. For drop-in options, check with pharmacies, walk-in clinics or your family practitioner.
Care options
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Emergency care
Call 9-1-1 or go immediately to your nearest hospital Emergency Department if y…
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Primary care
Primary health care is often your first contact with the health system. The peo…
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How to access home and community care
Learn how to arrange for home and community care services for you or someone el…
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How to access mental health and substance use services
Start here. Vancouver Coastal Health intake teams connect people to the right m…
Regional services
Health-care services are tailored to meet the needs of each community, which means the type and availability of care may differ from one town to another. For this reason, it is important to seek the most current and specific information for your area.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information on services in your area, please select your region below.
Vancouver
Boundary Road to UBC, and from the north side of the Fraser River to Burrard Inlet.
Richmond
From the south side of the Fraser River to the north border of Surrey and Delta.
Coastal
The North Shore, Sunshine Coast and Powell River, Sea-to-Sky Highway, and the Central Coast (Bella Bella and Bella Coola).
Welcome to Vancouver Coastal Health: Health Services for Newcomers
On behalf of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), welcome to British Columbia (B.C.). Moving to a new province or country can be hard and you may have questions. This resource is to help you understand the health care system in B.C.
Learn more