Choose between 911, urgent care, virtual visit, 811 nurse triage, family doctor, and pharmacist. Triage screen — when in doubt, call 811 or seek care.
Free tool
Virtual or 811
Virtual visit or call 811
A virtual visit (Maple, Tia Health, Telus Virtual Care, Felix, Rocket Doctor) is the fastest option — usually under 30 minutes, no commute.
Free option: call 811 (Info-Santé in QC, Health Link in AB, HealthLine 811 in MB/SK/NB/NS/NL/PE/YT/NT) for nurse triage.
Your family doctor (if you have one) is the best clinical match — most accept same-day or next-day calls for new symptoms.
Triage tool to help you choose between 911, urgent care, virtual visit, 811 nurse triage, family doctor, and pharmacist. Not a clinical assessment — when in doubt, call 811 or a clinician. Wait-time estimates: 911 / ER for emergencies (any wait); urgent-care centres ~30 min – 3 h depending on province; virtual visits 5–30 min; 811 nurse triage 5–20 min; family doctor often same-day or next-day. Sources: Provincial 811 services, College of Family Physicians of Canada, Canadian Pharmacists Association.
The 6-tier system
Canadian primary care offers six tiers of access: 911 / ER for emergencies; urgent-care or walk-in clinics for same-day non-emergencies; virtual visits for fast remote consultations (~30 min); 811 nurse triage for free expert advice; family doctor for relationship-based care; and pharmacists for minor ailments. The right tier depends on severity, onset, and risk profile.
Red-flag symptoms = always 911
Chest pain or pressure lasting more than 5 minutes, sudden weakness or slurred speech (stroke signs), severe shortness of breath, heavy uncontrolled bleeding, loss of consciousness, severe allergic reaction with face / throat swelling, suspected overdose, pregnancy with bleeding or severe pain — call 911. Time-to-treatment is often the most important predictor of outcome.
The pharmacist option is underused
Most Canadians don’t realize their pharmacist can write prescriptions for ~30+ minor ailments. UTI, cold sores, contraception refill, smoking cessation, eczema, hemorrhoids, oral thrush — all can be handled at the pharmacy without a clinic visit. Saves hours of waiting and frees doctor appointments for cases that actually need them.
This tool is for educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed Canadian healthcare professional. Read our full disclaimer.