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Provincial Nurse Hotlines

What if you have a medical question and your doctor isn’t available? In Canada, many provinces and/or territories offer nurse health lines for non-emergency medial advice over the telephone. Through these programs you can speak one-on-one with a registered nurse who can answer health questions and link you to community programs, services, or health care providers such as dietitians or pharmacists. The medical advice you may need could be just a telephone call away.

What services do nurse hotlines provide?
How do I contact my provincial nurse hotline?

What services do nurse hotlines provide?

Nurse hotlines offer access to confidential medical advice 24 hours a day 7 days a week in all provinces except Prince Edward Island, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. Registered nurses will be able to provide health information, advice, and respond to a broad range of medical concerns.

However, nurses are not able to diagnose a condition or prescribe medication for a condition. For these types of concerns you will need to see a doctor. Keep in mind that nurse hotlines do not replace emergency medical care. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call your local emergency phone number (9-1-1) or proceed to your local hospital.

How do I contact my provincial nurse hotline?

Look for your province or territory below to determine the nurse hotline that is available to you.

Province/ Territory	Name of Service/ Website	Contact
Alberta	Health Link Alberta	Phone: (403) 943-5465 (Calgary) Phone: (780) 408-5465 (Edmonton) Toll-Free: 1-866-408-5465
British Columbia	HealthLink BC	Toll-Free: 811 TTY: 7-1-1
Manitoba	Health Links-Info Santé	Phone: (204) 788-8200 Toll-Free: 1-888-315-9257
New Brunswick	Tele-Care	Toll-Free: 811 TTY: 1-866-213-7920
Newfoundland & Labrador	HealthLine	Toll-Free: 1-888-709-2929
Nova Scotia	HealthLink 811	Toll-Free: 811 TTY: 711
Ontario	Telehealth Ontario	Toll-Free: 1-866-797-0000 TTY: 1-866-797-0007
Quebec	Info-Santé	Toll-Free: 811 (anywhere in Québec, except Terres-Cries-de-la-Baie-James and Nunavik)
Saskatchewan	HealthLine	Toll-Free: 1-877-800-0002
Yukon	HealthLine	Toll-Free: 811 Satellite Telephone: (604) 215-4700

Key Websites:

• Health Canada: Provincial/territorial role in health

Related Articles:

• 8 Helpful Hints for Finding a Doctor Faster
• Teen Health Crisis Lines
• Your Provincial Health Plan: How to navigate the health care system and manage expenses

References