Healthcare in Alberta.

[memon81]

Hello everyone,
I am planning to arrive in Canada 1st week of October 2013 as a landed immigrant. The flight that i've booked for my travel will provide me transit at the Toronto airport for Edmonton,AB. Since i want to settle in Alberta and according to my knowledge my COPR and immigration formalities will be looked after at Toronto airport. I'll provide them the Alberta address. My question is if my initial immigration formalities are looked after at Toronto, will there be any difficult for me in getting health card rightaway.I'll get it on day one or i'll have to wait.
Looking for response.
Regards.

 

[Leon]

You will have to show some proof to AB health that you are residing in AB. If your landing papers show an AB address, that may be enough. If not, you can go open a bank account and ask them to write out a statement or a letter for you right away that has your AB address on it. Then you can show that to AB health.

 

[on-hold]

I'm not a specialist in this, but when we arrived in Alberta I remember them being a little strict -- they wanted something that had arrived through the mail, and they wanted it to be a utility bill or bank statement, not just anything. I think that I tried changing my bank branch to a local one and going in with a statement that said as much. I also think, though, that if you rent an apartment and then require medical care before you're gotten your health card, you'll be on some sort of 'implied status'. I am pretty sure that they wouldn't accept an Alberta address on landing papers, but I might be wrong.

 

[Leon]

I know of people having gotten a letter from the bank right away and that having worked but it may depend on the processing agent as well. However, even if you don't get the health card right away, you should still be covered so if something happens, you should be able to pay the bills and get a refund later.