Canada has a universal health care system that provides public health insurance to any Canadian citizen or permanent resident. This is known as the Government Health Insurance Plan, or GHIP. Each province and territory has its own health plan; for example, in Ontario it’s called the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, or OHIP, and in B.C. it’s called the Medical Services Plan, or MSP.

In general, with public health insurance, you won’t have to pay for most health care services, including family doctor’s visits, lab tests, diagnostics including X-rays, and emergency medical and hospital services.

There are differences between provincial and territorial plans, so it’s important to know what your plan covers. For example, Manitoba Health covers up to seven chiropractor visits per year, while Ontario does not offer chiropractic coverage.