Again, it depends on what you are talking about. There are 2 separate portions required for health insurance
1. Regular health benefits - this includes visiting a doctor, emergency room, hospital stay, stitches, etc. This is covered by the province of BC AFTER a 3 month wait period. So you MUST have your own travel health insurance to cover this in the wait period. You can get information on this if you google MSP BC. There is a fee per month for this ($72 for singles, more for a couple or family) to start, and if you make less then a certain amount after filing taxes this year, it will be waived for next year. It is highly recommended that you get MSP coverage. If you do not, and do not have private insurance, you will be stuck covering any hospital or doctor fees yourself. An inpatient hospital stay is a minimum of $1200 a day, ICU is $12,000 a day, and just to be seen in the emergency department is $800. You are not required to get this, but if you do not you are responsible for ANY fees for ANY medical trips. This includes ambulance as well. So have private medical insurance or just get the provincial health coverage. If you get provincial health coverage, remember to get your travel insurance to cover you for the first 3 months.
2. Schools in BC will provide what is called Extended Health Benefits. This will cover portions of things like dentist, prescription drugs, eye glasses, etc. Things above and beyond a basic health plan. This is usually required by schools, unless you can show you are covered somewhere else, like at work. This is per semester and it depends if it covers your family or not. You can look under the school's student service plan for the exact policy coverage. This coverage through the school does NOT cover emergency rooms, family doctor visits, ambulance costs, if you have to stay in hospital etc.
As I said above, it depends what you are referring to - basic health or extended.
