In Québec, family doctors (also called general practitioners) are hardly accessible because of a very strong demand in regard of the load the current health system may take. Thus, getting to a family doctor may be very long and difficult. To get medical opinion from another healthcare professional is generally simpler and faster and may answer your questions or redirect you if appropriate for your situation.

Be seen by a pharmacist
may be done at a pharmacy, without an appointment and possibly with little waiting times based on the affluence. They may provide guidance in case of light symptoms.



You may also ask questions remotely on the website “Ask your pro“.

Calling Info-Santé at 811 in cas of a non-urgent health problem is also a possibility. A nurse will answer and help you perform a remote health examination to provide advice, in particular whether you should see a doctor. This public service is free and available 24 hours a day 365 days a year. 811 is also capable of treating psychosocial issues. Find out more on their website .

If your health condition requires that you see a family doctor, you may walk in at your Local Community Service Center (CLSC) or a medical clinic.

CLSCs are present in every neighborhood and provide treatment and many healthcare services. These public clinics are very popular among the Quebec population and will provide valuable information about the health services available in your neighborhood. The CLSC closest to Polytechnique is at CLSC de Côte-des-Neiges.

The delay to be assigned a family doctor are extremely long (in general over several years). Nonetheless if you intend to remain in Quebec for several years, starting the process as soon as you arrive if eligible may be worth your while. Having a designated family doctor enables you to get appointments more easily and to have better tracking of your health. You may find more information about the process here.

If you don’t have a family doctor, you may walk in to a nearby medical family clinic. The delays to get an appointment range from a few days to several weeks. There are also clinics that offer examinations without an appointment, however this service was adapted due to COVID-19: to prevent affluence, it is now mandatory to book a timeslot on the phone one day before the examination. The actual details depend on the clinic (notably the opening hours) so feel free to check out their websites.

Seeing a specialist is usually done after getting a reference from a general practitioner. It is not the case for every specialist and usually depends on the agreements signed by healthcare providers.

Relying on a private clinic may be a solution to get an appointment faster and possiby without having to see a general practitioner however their treatment is usually not covered. Gather all the information you can on your health insurance and additional insurance and feel free to contact the private clinic or your insurance to know the possible coverage and the amounts.

The AÉCSP works closely with the Polytechnique Student Service (SEP) and the undergraduate student association (AEP) to provide and communicate to the community mental health support services.

The Programme Mieux-Être is a phone-based confidential platform and is available anytime. On your first call, a contributor will listen to you and assess your request to redirect you to a specialist.

NB: This program is provided in partnership with ASEQ (Québec Student Health Alliance) but you don’t have to get ASEQ insurance to get access.

The SEP also provide therapy and guidance if you are facing academic or personal issues. If you wish to call for their help, reach out to them at sep-reussite@polymtl.ca with your student ID number, phone number and availability. More information here (in French).

The Université de Montréal also offers health examinations and mental health support. Polytechnique students have access to the Health and Psychological Support Center (CSCP) that allows remote or on site examinations by healthcare professionals (nurse, family doctor, nutritionist, …) and access to therapists. All the relevant information is available on this page (in French).

The faculty of dentistry at Université de Montréal also has a dentist’s office where you may be examined by dentists. The demand outmatches the offer so getting an appointment may be difficult, but some conditions enable priority access. You can refer to this page (in French) for more information.

If you can move around
, going to the emergency room in a hospital is a good solution and you will be admitted right away in case of a medical emergency. It is not recommended to go there otherwise as you may expect very long waiting times if your condition does not require urgent treatment.

If you cannot move, dial 911 to call Urgences-Santé, the public service designated for all emergencies where the health or life of a person is in danger. You may dial this number to request an ambulance or any type of assistance should you need to move to an emergency room at a hospital. This service is like 811 available anytime of the day or year. More comprehensive information is available here.

Healthcare services come at a non-negligible cost Therefore, make sure to check your health insurance and additional insurance and feel free to contact your insurance providers when in doubt about the conditions of your contract. In particular, being carried by an ambulance costs about 150$ and is not offered by every insurance.

The most common health insurance for students of AÉCSP are Régie d’Assurance Maladie du Québec (RAMQ) or Desjardins’s Foreign Student Health and Hospitalization (ASHEE) insurance for students uneligible for RAMQ.

For students who do not opt-out, the Québec Student Health Alliance (ASEQ) offers additional health insurance (available for RAMQ insurees) and a dental plan (available to all).

For more information about RAMQ here, ASHEE here and ASEQ here.

To get treatment, make sure you take your RAMQ health insurance card if you got one, it will prevent you from paying up front for emergencies among others. If you are signed up with ASHEE, you will have to pay most of your healthcare expanses in advance and then file a claim with the insurance company.