The Best Telehealth Providers in Canada

Mednow is a proudly Canadian online pharmacy website, allowing Canadians to get their prescriptions online fast, simply, and with free shipping anywhere in Canada. 

In less than a few minutes you can transfer your prescription refills from your old pharmacy or snap a photo of your current prescription to get started. You can also call in by phone if that’s easier for you. You get real-time delivery notifications on the status of your prescription deliveries, and they guarantee a fast, contact-less experience. 

Greater Toronto and Greater Vancouver area users can expect their prescription as soon as the same day in most cases, and Ontario and BC can expect the next day or sooner. All other provinces will still have free shipping, though it can take a bit longer to get your package by mail. 

Pharmacists are available through Mednow.ca, 24/7 for support. Phone, video calls, and text-based interactions are their options. If you don’t feel like calling, you can text, or if you’d like a video call for a more personable interaction, you can do so. They can also connect you to an available virtual doctor if needed. 

You may however be charged for a doctor’s visit, depending on your provincial coverage. Ontario and BC may be covered with valid health card identifications. 

CloudMD is currently only available in BC and Ontario and they serve patients that are without a family doctor or those who are looking for medical care after hours. They’re available for general health questions to help manage care for your family. Prescription renewals, diagnosing non-emergency conditions such as colds and flus, fever, headaches, skin conditions, UTIs, etc. 

You can access the app on Android, iPhone, and on desktop computers and start using it free of charge. Doctor consultations are covered by MSP in BC and OHIP in Ontario. If you’re not using a Wi-Fi network you may have data charges. 

They have a national network of doctors that are all Canadian licensed and are qualified to practice family medicine in the relevant province and are registered with the College of Family Physicians of Canada. 

Teladoc provides 24/7 access to licensed doctors by phone, video, or the web wherever you are. Once you request a visit, a doctor will contact you within an hour to chat, diagnose, and even prescribe medicine if need be. They cover non-emergency healthcare issues like sinus problems, allergies, flu/cold symptoms, more. If you’re located in Quebec consults can only be conducted via video, not just phone calls. 

Teladoc is only available through your employer or insurer, and you can check if you have access and are covered by filling out their quick account setup, whether online, downloading the Teladoc app, or calling them at 1-888-983-5236. 

Using their services are free and can be accessed 24/7 even if you’re travelling in the United States, though if you need a prescription you need to consult your travel coverage beforehand. 

WELL Health Technologies is both a primary healthcare operator and a technology innovator combining professional healthcare expertise with technology to better help physicians and patients that result in improved experiences and health outcomes. 

WELL’s main clinics offer virtual telehealth as well, and is covered in BC, Alberta, and Ontario with a valid health card. All you need to do is book with a doctor, connect through phone, video, or secure messaging, and once the appointment is done you receive referrals, requisitions, prescriptions, or any other documents you might need. Free delivery on prescriptions in Canada. There’s an option to book with your own family physician as well if your doctor is signed up for it to access. 

For Canadians outside of BC, Alberta, and Ontario WELL Clinics offers their telehealth services for $30 with no additional fees.  

Maple is an app designed to quickly and easily connect you with a doctor and get you on your way to feeling better. It’s free to register an account, and costs $49 once you request an appointment if you’re not covered by your employer or insurance. 

You can log into maple either on desktop or through their mobile app, describe your symptoms and describe what you’d like help with. Once the doctor reviews your request, they’ll determine whether they can help with what you need, and if so will continue the appointment. Afterwards, any prescriptions or sick notes will be available within the Maple app and prescriptions can be either delivered to your home or automatically faxed over to a nearby pharmacy for pickup. 

They can treat all manner of issues including bladder infections, UTIs, colds and flu symptoms, skin issues, and more. Psychiatry, pediatrics, and allergy and immunology are also on the list for what they can specialize in. 

In case you’re curious to see how Maple compares to other Canadian telehealth services, they have a dedicated page to such comparisons. As posted on their official website, here’s how Maple compares to other popular providers:

• Maple vs. WebMD: Maple works 24/7 as a virtual medical care platform via phone or computer, whereas WebMD is mainly focused on medical information and news.
• Maple vs. Ask the Doctor: Maple enables you to instantly connect with Canadian doctors, whereas Ask the Doctor is an email Q&A service in which you can ask questions and wait for a doctor to respond for a fee.
• Maple vs. Telehealth Ontario: Maple allows you to instantly connect with Canadian doctors 24/7, whereas Telehealth Ontario connects you to a Registered Nurse for questions, but it doesn’t replace a doctor’s visit.
• Maple vs. Access Virtual: For BC residents, both Maple’s and Access Virtual’s telemedicine services are free under the Medical Services Plan (MSP), but Maple is also available through the BC Services Card.
• Maple vs. Babylon Health: Maple enables you to connect with a doctor anywhere, anytime, whereas Babylon by TELUS Health lets you check symptoms and book video consultations with a doctor.

Dialogue is accessible for patients through their app or website if your employer has signed up to allow access. They cover all sorts of physical healthcare questions, issues, and even handle stress and mental health concerns, allowing you to feel and work better. 

Medical professionals that work with Dialogue are dedicated to it, allowing for continuity with patients so that you don’t have to explain your situation or symptoms over and over again with a new physician every time you require an appointment. The team is multidisciplinary, helping achieve a better clinical approach for full patient assessments whether you have chronic issues or something more acute. 

They use the highest standards of safety and security, and their platform allows for patient history to be accessed for an easier and more efficient consultation with their teledoctors. 

Access is available to employees of organizations that have purchased Akira as part of their employee benefits plan, and to the immediate family members of those who are covered – a spouse or partner, and any dependents under the age of 26. 

Their telehealth service is available 24/7 across the country in every province and territory and can also be used outside Canada for counselling and diagnosis. Prescriptions and referrals cannot be done outside of the country, however, so if you’re in the United States for any reason just keep that in mind. 

The app is designed to complement the care patients already receive from their family doctor, or those who don’t have a family physician already. If you have a family physician, you can provide consent for them to be updated on your health as you use Akira. 

You can connect by text if that’s more comfortable for mental health conversations and can be more convenient if you’re out and about somewhere or at work where a phone call conversation could be disruptive. 

If you’re a resident of BC, you can access Viva Care’s telehealth services for free seven days a week, 8 am to 9 pm, no matter where you live. They’re one of the only groups in BC where you can see a doctor online through the telehealth system and have the opportunity to see the same physician in one of their clinics in person if need be or if wanted in the future. 

They offer their teledoctor services in English and French, but also include Cantonese, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog, and Urdu. You can consult a doctor directly from your smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer and can see a doctor within minutes without any of the doctor’s office waiting. 

Like other telehealth clinics, you can get your prescription sent to your door for free or faxed over to your closest pharmacy. They do have a 24-hour notice for cancellations or reschedules, and there is a $50 fee if you no-show or cancel after that time before your appointment. 

Founded in 1992, Appletree Medical Group is one of Canada’s largest multi-specialty groups and now offers teledoctor services for free to any Ontario residents. They do provide services for Canadians outside of the province, but it isn’t free and would have to be reimbursed by your provincial healthcare. 

Not all medical services are covered by OHIP, but they do have a private services price list on their website. As with all telemedicine, they cannot help with certain medical issues that require hands on exams like pelvic exams, abdominal pain, sutures, and they can’t prescribe controlled substances like narcotics. 

If you don’t have OHIP coverage, the cost of the appointment is $77. Telemedicine appointments are covered by most private benefit plans. Virtual care and telemedicine are different services through Applecare, telemedicine appointments are done in a dedicated examination room with a trained telemedicine assistant relaying information such as checking your ears, eyes or mouth, blood sugar tests, etc. to the doctor over a screen, while virtual care allows you to connect with a doctor via smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. 

Telehealth Ontario is offering free and fast medical advice via phone to those living in Ontario. 

Telehealth is open at any hour of the day, every day of the week. A registered nurse is always available to take your call and help you decide whether to handle whatever medical issue you’re having yourself, visit your family doctor, or go to the ER. 

On their website, there is information about Covid-19, including a self-assessment which can help you determine how to get further care and get tested. At this time, they only offer over-the-phone care and don’t have any more in-depth services. 

Telehealth Ontario toll-free phone number: 1-866-797-0000 

For other provinces besides Ontario, the Canadian Women’s Health Network has a full guide on similar programs.  

Instead of connecting you to a clinic, Medeo connects you to your family clinic/physician you already go to. When both you and your healthcare provider are both registered, Medeo creates a direct line of communication from quick online booking to checking your symptoms, to a follow-up about your test results. 

When both you and your doctor use Medeo, you can securely exchange photos, messages, and share files, making it easier to do quick follow-ups, instead of having to schedule time off work or waiting for hours in an office. It’s helpful for virtual video calls as well if your doctor offers them, saving time and money. 

Dial-a-Doc is a no-frills virtual care website covered by OHIP, if you’re an Ontario resident, that requires no account sign-up or personal information required to sign up for their virtual clinic. You can sign in with just a phone number, name and email are optional. 

They cover Covid-19 assessment and counselling, prescription refills, UTI treatments, Cold and flu symptoms, aches, sprains, rashes, etc. that don’t require emergency care. Once you fill out their quick form, a licensed Ontario doctor will get back to you within 24 hours. 

Virtual Clinics is part of WELL Health Technologies Corp.’s brand of virtual care. Virtual Clinics is free for BC, Alberta, and Ontario residents, can be reimbursed if your insurance covers it, and is otherwise $30+ for non-BC, Alberta, or Ontario residents across Canada with no hidden extra fees – though they are working to make this available for free for other provinces. 

You can choose which doctor you want to see via phone, video, or secure messaging from wherever you are, and there is no added or extra fee if your appointment time goes longer than expected. They’re available 24/7 to access, and if your family doctor is working with the Virtual Clinics platform, you can ask to speak to them through telehealth availability. 

Just like a regular doctor’s office visit, the doctors are licensed and are responsible for understanding your case, medical history, and determining the appropriate treatment. If they aren’t able to help you they may advise you to make an in-person clinic appointment or visit a hospital. 

Prescriptions can be delivered to your home for free across Canada or can be sent to a pharmacy near you for pick-up. 

Felix offers an easy and virtual way for Canadians to get lifestyle medications such as birth control, hair loss, and acne medication. Based on your medical history and consultation, you can get a prescription within 24 hours. 

How it works is that you create an account, set up your profile, and submit your medical history, allergies, and current symptoms – if you have any. Your submission will be confidentially reviewed by a physician within 24 hours. After that, you can choose what your preferred medication is and an auto-refill schedule that works best if you want. 

You can chat with the doctor to answer their questions and ask your own, with no rush. It does cost a $40 fee for your online visit, but medication is shipped to your door at no cost and is good for up to one year. 

Tia Health allows patients to connect with doctors in Canada by phone, video, or secure messaging on any device. You can choose your own doctor from their list of physicians, including language options for what you’re most comfortable speaking. Besides prescriptions, referrals, requisitions, and mental health services they’re also offering COVID-19 screening. 

A benefit for anyone residing in BC, Alberta, or Ontario is that Tia Health is covered, while fees start at $30 for other provinces. At the time of your appointment, you speak directly to the doctor, no waiting or wasting time going into a clinic, travelling, or having to take time off work instead of resting. Referrals, requisitions, and any other documents you need are all online. 

An added bonus is that free prescription delivery is available in Canada. 

InkBlot Therapy is a virtual therapy platform that allows you to speak with a licensed counsellor, social worker, therapist or psychologist who are in good standing with their board. They’re experienced in various clinical settings and must obtain specific designations to practice. 

Before booking your appointment, you’ll fill out a quick matching questionnaire that combines your personal details with the strengths of their providers that best match your needs and preferences. The first half an hour is free to ensure that you’re satisfied with your care provider, and if not you will be able to choose a different one from a list, which that subsequent first half-hour with them will also be free. 

Sessions through InkBlot are $37.50 per half hour, after your initial free 30 minutes. Sessions can last 30, 60, or 90 minutes. Most employee health benefits, private insurance, and student health plans cover counselling and psychotherapy, meaning that InkBlot may be covered completely by your insurance, so do make sure to check if you are. 

No external software is needed, just a microphone and a camera on your computer or laptop so that your care provider can both see and hear you during the session. They provide life-coaching and couples counselling as well as general therapy sessions. Covering everything from adjusting to a crisis or difficulty, setting goals, identifying negative patterns and adjusting them to be healthier, etc. Therapy can benefit everyone and doesn’t need to be a long-term process if that isn’t what you want or need – it can be a one-time session to get things off your chest, temporary support during a life transition or an ongoing experience. 

GOeVisit Smart Exam is a free app available for both Android or Apple that allows you to quickly fill out a clinical interview form describing your symptoms from your phone, tablet, or computer that will give you a diagnosis from a licensed healthcare practitioner. 

Depending on wait times, you can hear back from a physician within minutes of submitting your request and information. An after-visit summary is automatically sent to you via a secure link once you’re done with all of the information, and any prescriptions you might need are automatically delivered to a pharmacy of your choice. 

For Canadian residents over the age of 18, services are available for $10 per month, $99 annually for unlimited visits, $15 per month for families, $149 annually (for immediate family members.) Subscription services aren’t available for international users. There is also a pay-as-you-go pricing option that is $49.95 per visit for Canadian residents, Canadian families, or international visitors. 

Babylon by Telus Health serves anyone that is looking for medical advice or care outside of regular office hours or doesn’t have a family doctor. Virtual consultations are free for residents in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, in addition to anyone covered by BusinessPlus. 

They can treat any manner of symptoms from rashes, colds, flus, and other typical issues of the sort, including refilling prescriptions. Anyone that is residing outside of the earlier four provinces can access Telus’ Babylon services for $70 per doctor consultation visit. 

It’s available on smartphones, both Apple and Android, and all that’s required is a working phone that will run the app. 

Hasu provides Canadians with mental health and substance abuse counselling across the country. Therapists are properly vetted, registered, and qualified to help with anything from depression and anxiety to substance abuse and gambling addiction. 

Many of their therapists are covered by major Canadian insurance companies, so feel free to check if you’re covered for reimbursement while signing up. How it works is that you choose an appointment type, choose the therapist you want to work with, the date and time that works best for you, confirm payments, and then have your session on your allotted date. 

Hasu is available on iOS, Android, and desktop PCs. Depending on what kind of appointment you’re comfortable with you can have webcam video sessions, talk counselling only needing a phone, or even secure text messaging. 

The cost is $95 for a video or talk sessions, and Unlimited Text Talk messaging is $29 per month. A minimum 24-hour notice is required if you need to reschedule or cancel an appointment. 

If you’re an Ontario resident, therapy is currently available during Covid-19 with BEACON funded by the Ontario government. BEACON is a therapy for you when you need it and wherever you are. 

It’s available in English and French, and once you confirm that your employer or benefits plan covers BEACON, you start an assessment that can take 10-35 minutes to fill out. For those who aren’t covered by insurance, they offer affordable payment plans. 

The assessment portion is an important step in the process, as it first allows your therapist to determine if working through Beacon is right for you, and secondly, it allows them to see valuable information about your life and circumstances that make it easier to communicate and have a personalized CBT session with you. 

Beacon is best for anyone that would like help with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and insomnia. They don’t treat substance abuse or eating disorders and ask that you choose a different therapy provider. 

Tulip Health allows anyone in Ontario to access an Ontario licensed doctor at any time for an online virtual appointment, and it is 100% covered for any Ontario resident. 

Connecting you directly with an Ontario doctor, Tulip Health is a quick and free telehealth service that provides you with information and helpful results such as answers to any questions you may have, prescriptions, and they even do follow up appointments after you’re done with your initial appointment. 

It’s available through smartphone or PC, and their hours are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 9 pm, and Saturday and Sunday are 9 am to 8 pm. When registering your appointment, you can choose which time works best for you and if there isn’t a slot available they will let you know and allow you to choose a new time. 

Tulip Health also does Covid-19 screening, and mental health assessments and the doctors’ backgrounds range from family medicine, pain management, sports medicine, and long term care – ensuring that no matter what you require help for, there will be a doctor that’s fit for your care. 

MediCall is an OHIP covered virtual clinic available to Ontario residents that acts as a stand-in for your family doctor if you can’t get in to see them, or if you currently don’t have a family doctor – you can use them until you do find one. 

Virtual visits are 100% covered through OHIP, IFH, and UHIP. Uninsured patients are also covered as well. Home visits are also available, and priority will be given to elderly and housebound patients. That is covered as well as long as you have a valid PIP (provincial insurance plan). Covered for refugees with valid coverage under IFHP, covered with valid coverage from UHIP, and covered if you’re a member of the Canadian Armed Forces with valid coverages. 

Home visits otherwise if not valid coverage, are $75 per individual. Sick notes are $20, and notes for anyone needing massage, physio, chiropractic, or compression stockings are $20 as well, unless they are already a part of management currently. 

Specialized in mental health and based in Ontario, Street Therapy offers both long-term and acute treatment plans. They have a team of both counsellors and psychotherapists who cover a wide range of mental health treatments and therapies for children, youths, and adults.

Plans accepted by Street Therapy:

• Manulife
• Sunlife
• Cooperators
• Green Shield Canada
• League
• Medavie Blue Cross
• Approved Mental Health Counselling for Non-Insured Health Benefit (NIHB) and Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program (IRS-RHSP)