Apply for OHIP

What is OHIP?

OHIP stands for the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. It's free public health insurance for everyone who lives in Ontario and meets the eligibility rules. With an OHIP card, you don't pay out-of-pocket for visits to most doctors or hospitals.

Are you eligible?

You can apply for OHIP if you:

• Make Ontario your primary place of residence (you live here most of the year)
• Are physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days in any 12-month period
• Hold one of the eligible immigration statuses: Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person / refugee, or certain work-permit holders

There used to be a 3-month waiting period for new arrivals, but that was waived in 2020 — most newcomers can apply right away. Confirm your specific status on the official Ontario.ca page.

What to bring

You'll need to show three documents when you apply. Each one proves a different thing:

Heads up: the documents must be originals — photocopies aren't accepted. If you only have digital copies, print them or pull them up on your phone and bring a printed version where you can.

How and where to apply

OHIP applications happen in person at a ServiceOntario centre — there isn't a fully-online option. You don't need an appointment, but going early in the day usually means a shorter wait.

Closest ServiceOntario locations in Northern Ontario:

• Thunder Bay — 435 James Street S, Unit 113; also 581 Red River Road, Suite 103, and 400 Balmoral Street, Unit B
• Sudbury — 199 Larch Street
• Sault Ste. Marie — 421 Bay Street
• Timmins — 5520 Highway 101 East
• North Bay — 447 McKeown Avenue
• Kenora — 220 Main Street S · 807-468-2803
• Dryden — 479 Government Road, Room 3
• Sioux Lookout — 62 Queen Street · 807-737-1318
• Marathon — 52 Peninsula Road, Suite 105

Use the ServiceOntario location finder to confirm hours and find the office closest to you.

How long until you get your card?

You'll typically get a temporary paper certificate the day you apply, which works the same as a card while you wait. The plastic photo card arrives by mail in 4–6 weeks.

What if I get sick before my card arrives?

You can still go to a doctor or hospital. Bring your temporary paper certificate and explain that your card is on the way. Some clinics may ask you to pay first and submit for reimbursement — keep all receipts.

Common questions

Do my kids need their own cards?

Yes. Every family member needs their own OHIP card. You can apply for everyone in the same visit.

What if I lose my card?

Replace it through ServiceOntario — there's a small fee (around $35 last we checked). You can usually replace it online once you've already had a card.

What does OHIP NOT cover?

Prescription drugs (unless you qualify for the Ontario Drug Benefit), most dental care, vision care for adults, and ambulance services have a co-pay. Many employers offer top-up coverage; if yours doesn't, ask a settlement worker about other options. Separate programs fill some of those gaps. They are described below.

Northern Health Travel Grant

If you have OHIP and live in Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, or Timiskaming, the Northern Health Travel Grant (NHTG) can help pay travel to the nearest medical specialist, or to a Ministry-funded facility, in Ontario or Manitoba when the one-way trip is at least 100 km.

• Travel: 41¢ per kilometre. Ontario calculates the payable distance from the round trip after the 100 km rule on the program page.
• Accommodation Allowance for treatment on or after December 1, 2024: $175 (1 night), $350 (2 nights), $475 (3 nights), $1,025 (4–7 nights), or $1,150 (8 or more nights). A companion of a patient who is admitted to hospital can also claim accommodation.
• Deadline: apply online or by mail within 12 months of the treatment.
• Office: 159 Cedar Street, 7th Floor, Sudbury, ON P3E 6A5 · 1-800-262-6524

French program page: Programme de subventions accordées aux résidents du Nord de l'Ontario pour frais de transport.

Prescription drugs: OHIP+ and the Trillium Drug Program

• OHIP+ covers eligible prescriptions for OHIP-insured children and youth 24 and under who do not already have a private drug plan.
• The Trillium Drug Program helps Ontario residents whose prescription costs are high compared with household income, after any private insurance.

Dental care

• Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) — federal dental coverage for people who do not have private dental insurance and whose adjusted family net income is under $90,000. Confirm the current income test on the qualify page.
• Healthy Smiles Ontario — free preventive, routine, and emergency dental care for eligible children and youth 17 and under in low-income households. Children on Ontario Works or ODSP are enrolled automatically.
• Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program — free routine dental care through public health units, community health centres, and Aboriginal Health Access Centres for seniors 65 and older with income of $25,480 or less (single) or $42,290 or less (couple) and no other dental benefits. A newcomer senior without a SIN, or who has not filed taxes yet, can use the Guarantor Form.

If you do not have OHIP yet

• Midwifery is free without OHIP. Ontario midwives are funded to give prenatal, birth, and postnatal care, including routine lab work, to residents in their catchment — including international students, visitors, and people waiting on status. Start at ontariomidwives.ca/uninsured-clients. Pregnant international college students can also read the LEAF fact sheet (a French version is on the same site).
• Refugee HealthLine: 1-866-286-4770. This free multilingual Health811 line connects refugees, claimants, and newcomers with providers for an initial medical assessment and referrals.
• Community health centres that see people without a family doctor are listed on the family doctor guide, including the Sault Community Health Centre and the Centre de santé communautaire de Kapuskasing et région.

A clinic cannot charge an OHIP-insured patient for an insured service, a block fee for insured care, or a queue-jumping fee. Report extra-billing under the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act at 1-888-662-6613 or protectpublichealthcare@ontario.ca. Unauthorized charges can be recovered in full.

Last reviewed: April 2026. OHIP rules change occasionally — always confirm details on the official Ontario.ca page before your appointment.