Minor returning to Toronto alone applying for OHIP

Getting Health Care (OHIP)
1

Hi there! My Canadian kid will return to Toronto this summer and will live with his uncle (also a citizen living in Toronto for decades), while his parents are still abroad. He will apply for OHIP for the first time. I’ve heard that during the pandemic situation, the three-month waiting period has been waived for returning Canadian citizens. However, we are puzzled about the proof of residency in Ontario because our kid, turning 16 after summer, is currently studying abroad and therefore can’t provide any report card from a high school in Toronto. Could you give us some advice on this? Thanks.

2

Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

There are a few ways your son can show proof of residence. You may find helpful information in our Settlement.Org What documents do I need to apply for a Health Card (OHIP)? article.

Here is an excerpt:

If he chooses to use a cell phone or open a bank account, a phone bill or bank statement will work as acceptable proofs of residence. We hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org team

3

Thank you for your reply, with the inclusion of two more additional documents, i.e. phone bill and bank statement. However, I have checked that minors under 18 of age cannot enter into a service with telecommunication operators, so in my son’s case, he can only have his telephone SIM card issued under his uncle’s account, which means the phone bill only bears the uncle’s name but not my son’s.

For the bank statement, my son needs to first visit a bank in person with his uncle for opening an account, and then wait for the first bank statement. This would take one to two months. Without the bank statement (as the address proof), my son cannot apply for the health card during this one-to-two months period. Do you have any other suggestions/recommendations so that my son can get the health card earlier? I just wonder what if he suffers from any disease in the waiting period and we need to bear the high hospital charges in the absence of the health card. Thank you.

4

Hi there,

Thank you for following up with us, we appreciate your interest in this kind of information.

According to Ontario’s Ministry of Health:

The Ministry of Health is taking measures to ensure access to medically necessary services to uninsured individuals to address the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the Steps to Justice article, I don’t have status in Canada. What should I do if I think I have COVID-19?:

This means that everyone, insured and uninsured, will receive medically necessary care.

In the meantime, you may also want to contact Service Ontario directly for advice and information about alternative options for proof of address. You can find their contact information on their website.

We hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org team