Health canada food guide babies

Infant nutrition - Canada.ca

Plan wisely for your baby

You want your baby to get the nutrition they need to grow up strong and healthy. Today, most women breastfeed their babies. Breastfeeding is important and gives your baby just the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Breastfeeding provides antibodies and other immune factors. These help protect against infections and disease.

For a young infant (birth to 6 months)
For an older infant (6 to 12 months)
For a young child (12 to 24 months)
Safe feeding tips
Menus for older infants and young children
- What you can offer a 7-month old infant
- What you can offer an 11-month old infant
- What you can offer a 17-month old child
- What you can offer a 17-month old vegetarian child

For a young infant (birth to 6 months)

Breastfeeding is the only food or drink your baby will need for the first 6 months.
Babies who are breastfed should get a vitamin D supplement of 10 micrograms (µg) or 400 international units (IU) each day. This will prevent vitamin D deficiency.

If your baby is not breastfed, or is only partially breastfed, commercial infant formulas are an alternative to breast milk. Non-breastfed infants do not require a vitamin D supplement because the commercial infant formula contains vitamin D.

For an older infant (6 to 12 months)

Continue to breastfeed for up to two years or more, as long as both you and your child want to.
Continue to give your breastfed infant a vitamin D supplement of 10 µg (400 IU).
At 6 months, breastfeeding is still your baby’s main food source, but it is time to begin adding solid foods. Formula-fed infants should also be introduced to solid foods at this time.
Start with foods that contain iron and offer them a few times each day. Iron supports your baby’s growth and development. Iron-rich foods include meats such as beef, lamb, game, poultry, and fish. Meat alternatives include eggs, tofu, and legumes such as beans and lentils. Iron-fortified infant cereal is also a common first food.
Gradually increase the number of times a day that you offer solid foods.
Offer your baby a range of nutritious foods from your family meals. Let them discover different textures and experiment with feeding themselves.
Give your baby foods they can eat using their hands. Offer pieces of soft-cooked vegetables, soft fruit such as banana, grated cheese, bread crusts and toast.
If you are making the transition to cow milk as your child’s main milk source, wait until your baby is between 9 and 12 months old. Start with homogenized cow milk (3.25% M.F.). Do not offer skim or partly skimmed milk (1% or 2% M. F.) before 2 years of age.
If you are going to make fortified soy beverage your child’s main milk source, wait until they are 2 years of age. Rice or nut beverages should not be used as your child’s main milk source.
Pay attention to your baby’s hunger cues. Trust your child to decide how much they are going to eat at any meal.

Did you know...

Using an open cup will encourage your baby to develop their drinking skills. Give your baby an open cup when offering fluids other than breast milk. At first, your baby will need help with the cup.

For a young child (12 to 24 months)

By 12 months, your child needs a variety of foods from the food groups. Learn more about Canada's Food Guide.
Establish a schedule of regular meals and snacks for your child.
Breastfeed as long as you and your child want to continue.
Continue to give your breastfed child a vitamin D supplement of 10 µg (400 IU). This provides a daily source of vitamin D.
If you are no longer breastfeeding, offer 500 milliliters (mL) of homogenized milk (3.25% M.F.) each day. Your child may like to drink a lot of milk. You should limit them to 750 mL each day to not affect their intake of other foods.
Higher-fat, nutritious foods are an important source of energy for your child. Examples include breast milk, homogenized cow milk (3.25% M.F.), cheese, avocado, nut butters, and some fish such as salmon or trout.
Limit fruit juice and do not offer sweetened beverages. If your child seems thirsty, offer water.
Eat together as a family as often as you can. Be a role model; try new and nutritious foods yourself.

Safe feeding tips

Always supervise your child when eating. Make sure your child is sitting upright and is not distracted. Do not let your child eat while walking or running, or while sitting in a moving vehicle.
Introduce common food allergens one at a time. A food allergen can cause an allergic reaction in some children (like itchy skin, upset stomach or wheezing).Wait two days before introducing a new food. That way, if your baby develops a reaction, you'll have a better idea of what food might have caused it.
Do not offer solid foods that are hard, small and round, or smooth and sticky. These foods can cause choking.
Do not offer herbal teas, sports drinks or other drinks with caffeine or artificial sweeteners.
Cook all meat, eggs, poultry, and fish well. Do not use products with raw eggs to avoid salmonella poisoning. Do not offer unpasteurized juices, milk or milk products.
To prevent infant botulism, do not offer honey to a baby younger than 12 months.

For more information speak to your healthcare provider. You can also get practical infant feeding resources from your regional public health unit or community health centre.

Menus for older infants and young children

These menus are only a guide. Offer your baby nutritious foods from your family meal and eat together as a family as often as you can. Let your baby decide how much they want to eat from the foods offered.

What you can offer a 7-month old infant

Early morning and on cue at any time (when your baby is hungry)
Breastfeeding

Morning
Breastfeeding
Iron-fortified infant cereal
Mashed strawberries or other soft fruit

Snack
Whole grain toast, cut into small pieces or strips

Midday
Breastfeeding
Iron-fortified infant cereal
Hard-boiled egg, mashed, minced, or grated
Cooked and mashed sweet potato or other vegetable

Snack
Unsweetened stewed prunes, pureed

Early evening
Breastfeeding
Ground or finely minced plain, dark chicken or other meat
Cooked and mashed broccoli or other vegetable

Evening and nighttime
Breastfeeding

What you can offer an 11-month old infant

Early morning and on cue at any time (when your baby is hungry)
Breastfeeding

Morning
Breastfeeding
Iron-fortified infant cereal
Chopped strawberries

Snack
Unsweetened o-shaped oat cereal
Blueberries thawed from frozen

Midday
Breastfeeding
Canned salmon, mashed
Sweet potato, mashed
Cooked green peas, mashed

Snack
Chopped, hard-boiled egg
Whole grain bread, cut into strips

Early evening
Breastfeeding
Ground beef cooked with diced tomatoes and macaroni
Unsweetened stewed prunes, pureed

Evening and nighttime
Breastfeeding

What you can offer a 17-month old child

Continue breastfeeding as long as you and your child both want to

Breakfast
Whole grain toast with soft margarine
Scrambled egg
Sliced banana
Breastfeeding or homogenized cow milk (3. 25% M.F.)

Snack
Whole grain tortilla
Grated cheese
Soft pear, sliced

Lunch
Cooked quinoa
Chopped chicken
Grated carrot and cucumber
Chopped mango
Breastfeeding or homogenized cow milk (3.25% M.F.)

Snack
Unsweetened o-shaped oat cereal
Sliced fresh plum

Supper
Poached fillet of sole, deboned
Roasted potato, chopped
Steamed broccoli and cauliflower, chopped
Fruit cocktail in juice
Breastfeeding or homogenized cow milk (3.25% M.F.)

Snack
Whole wheat bread with soft margarine
Sliced strawberries
Breastfeeding or homogenized cow milk (3.25% M.F.)

What you can offer a 17-month old vegetarian child

Continue breastfeeding as long as both you and your child want to

Breakfast
Iron-fortified infant cereal
Sliced banana
Breastfeeding or homogenized cow milk (3. 25% M.F.)

Snack
Whole grain crackers with grated cheese
Sliced strawberries

Lunch
Naan bread, cut into strips, spread thinly with hummus
Grated carrots
Cooked green beans, chopped
Diced mango
Breastfeeding or homogenized cow milk (3.25% M.F.)

Snack
Cottage cheese
Unsweetened stewed prunes, pureed

Supper
Lentil pilaf (mixed dish):
Whole wheat couscous
Cooked lentils
Cooked, diced, zucchini
Diced tomatoes
Chopped, cooked spinach

Fruit cocktail in juice
Breastfeeding or homogenized cow milk (3.25% M.F.)

Snack
Homemade, whole grain muffin
Canned pears, in juice
Breastfeeding or homogenized cow milk (3.25% M.F.)

For more information

Ten Valuable Tips for Successful Breastfeeding
10 Great Reasons to Breastfeed your Baby
Allergen labelling

Feeding your baby in the first year

Feeding your baby in the first year of life is an exciting adventure for parents and babies alike. It’s about development, nutrition, curiosity, sharing and learning. Attachment also grows as you go about your daily routine with your baby.

You can help your baby develop a lifetime of healthy eating habits with the right start.

The first 6 months

For the first 6 months of life, breastfed babies will get what they need from their mother’s milk.

Babies who are exclusively or partially breastfed should get a daily supplement of vitamin D, which is available as drops.
Breast milk has the right amount and quality of nutrients to suit your baby’s first food needs.
Breast milk also contains antibodies and other immune factors that help your baby prevent and fight off illness.

If breastfeeding is not an option, use a store-bought iron-fortified infant formula for the first 9 to 12 months.

Formula should be cow milk-based.
Homemade formulas made from canned, evaporated, whole milk (cow or goat), or any plant-based beverage, are not recommended as a breast milk substitute.
Homemade formulas can contain harmful germs and lack important nutrients that can make your baby sick.
Rice, soy, almond or other plant-based beverages, even when fortified, are not appropriate as a breastmilk substitute as they are nutritionally incomplete for infants. There is no evidence that soy-based formula will prevent your child from developing an allergy.
Soy-based infant formulas should only be used as an alternative to cow milk-based formula if your baby has galactosemia (a rare disorder that will affect how your baby’s body processes simple sugar) or if your baby cannot consume dairy-based products for cultural or religious reasons.
Talk to your doctor if you are unsure which formula is best for your child.

If your baby has allergies, or if allergies run in the family, see below for specific recommendations about when and how to introduce allergenic foods (such as eggs or peanuts).

Introducing solid foods

At about 6 months, most babies are ready for solid foods. Along with other foods, you can continue to breastfeed as long as it is comfortable for you and your baby, even well into the toddler years.

You’ll know baby is ready to start other foods when they:

Can sit up without support, lean forward, and have good control of their neck muscles.
Ability to pick up food and try to put it in their mouth.
Hold food in their mouth without pushing it out with their tongue right away.
Show interest in food when others are eating.
Open their mouth when they see food coming their way.
Can let you know they don’t want food by leaning back or turning their head away.

Remember that all babies are different. Some babies may be ready a few weeks before or just after 6 months. However, waiting after 6 months to introduce other foods increases your baby’s risk of iron deficiency.

What foods should we start introducing our baby to first?

There are many ways to introduce solid food. The first foods usually vary from culture to culture and from family to family.

Start with foods that contain iron, which babies need for many different aspects of their development. Meat, poultry, cooked whole egg, fish, tofu, and well-cooked legumes (beans, peas, lentils) are good sources of iron. Store-bought iron-fortified infant cereals such as oat, wheat, barley or rice are also common first foods because they are good sources of iron. Offer iron-rich foods at least twice per day.

Healthy foods that your whole family is eating are the best choice for your baby. You can use commercial baby foods, but read the label to ensure there is no added salt or sugar. A variety of textures (such as lumpy, tender-cooked and finely minced, puréed, mashed or ground), and soft finger foods are recommended. As baby gets older, offer foods with more texture.

First foods - Around 6 months
Iron-rich foods	Puréed, minced, diced or cooked meat, fish, chicken, tofu, mashed beans, peas or lentils, eggs, iron-fortified infant cereal.
After 6 months
Grain products	Iron-fortified infant cereal, small pieces of dry toast, small plain cereals, whole grain bread pieces, rice and small-sized pasta.
Vegetables	Puréed, mashed, lumpy or pieces of soft cooked vegetables.
Fruit	Puréed, mashed or lumpy soft fruit. Pieces of very ripe soft fresh fruit, peeled, seeded and diced or canned fruit (not packed with syrup).
Milk products	Dairy foods like full-fat yogurt, full-fat grated or cubed pasteurized cheeses, cottage cheese.
9 to 12 months
Milk	Whole cow’s milk (3.25%) can be introduced if breastmilk is no longer available, between 9-12 months. After 12 months of age, your baby should not take more than 25 ounces (750 mL) of milk per day. Otherwise, they will fill up and won’t want to eat solid foods. Too much milk can also lead to iron deficiency anemia.

Introducing common food allergens

You can start to introduce common allergenic foods—like peanut products or eggs—when you are starting your baby on other solid foods, usually around 6 months of age.

However, if your baby is at high risk of developing an allergy (has allergies such as eczema, or a parent or sibling with an allergic condition) you can start after baby is 4 months old, but not sooner. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure.

Waiting until after 6 months to try to prevent an allergy is not recommended.

When introducing foods that are common food allergens, it’s best to offer no more than one new food per day. You may want to wait a day or two before you introduce another. This makes it easier to identify a food that may have caused a reaction.
If your baby is tolerating the allergenic food, continue offering it a few times a week to maintain tolerance. If an allergic reaction occurs, contact your doctor.
Make sure these new foods are smooth and small enough so that your baby isn’t at risk of choking. When introducing peanut products to young infants, try mixing a bit of peanut butter with some water, breast milk, or a puréed fruit or vegetable that your baby has had before. For older infants, spread a bit of smooth peanut butter on a piece of thin toast crust or offer a peanut puff product.

How much should I feed my baby?

Follow your baby’s cues for how much to feed. Start by offering a teaspoon or two. Don’t rush. Some babies need to try a food many times before accepting it. If she’s not hungry, she’ll turn her head and close her mouth. If she’s hungry, she’ll get excited and open up.

Never trick or coax her to eat more by playing games or offering sweetened foods. Babies who are allowed to follow their own hunger cues are much less likely to overeat later in life.

Try foods with different tastes and textures to help your baby learn how to handle foods in her mouth.

Water and juice

Babies who are exclusively breastfed don’t need extra water. When your baby begins to eat other foods, you can start to offer water occasionally, in an open cup.

Babies and children don’t need to drink juice. Too much juice can cause diarrhea and can fill up small stomachs, decreasing your baby’s appetite for nutritious foods. Too much juice can also cause early childhood tooth decay.
Offer water to babies and young children between meals and snacks if they are thirsty. If you choose to offer juice, be sure it is only 100% fruit juice (with no added sugar). Limit juice to 125 mL (4 oz.) per day.

Are there any foods my baby shouldn’t eat?

Babies shouldn’t be offered sugary drinks or foods, such as candies, soda/pop or energy drinks.
Don’t give honey to babies under a year old, as there is a risk of infant botulism (food poisoning).
If you have concerns, please speak to your health care provider.

Is there anything else I should know about feeding my baby?

Always wash your hands before preparing your baby’s food, and wash your baby’s hands before they eat.
Wipe your baby’s gums with a soft, damp cloth twice a day for good oral health.

How can I prevent choking?

Young children don’t know how to chew food into tiny pieces. And they haven’t learned how to bring a piece of food back up when it gets caught going down. Foods most likely to cause choking are small, round or cylindrical in shape, like hot dogs, whole grapes, carrot slices, seeds and hard candy.

To protect your baby:

Always supervise them while they are eating.
Make sure your baby is sitting down to eat.
Grate raw vegetables such as carrots to make them easier to chew.
Cook hard fruits and vegetables to soften them.
Slice round foods such as hot dogs or grapes lengthwise.
Remove pits from fruits.
Chop or scrape stringy meat and add broth to moisten it.
Spread sticky foods like nut butters thinly on a cracker or toast rather than bread.
Don’t feed your baby whole nuts, raisins, popcorn, gummy candies, hard candy, or fish with bones.

Developmental milestones related to feeding

Age	Physical milestones	Social milestones
Birth to 4 months	opens mouth wide when nipple touches lips sucks and swallows	recognizes source of milk by about 10 weeks
4 to 6 months	sucking strength increases brings fingers to mouth	socializes during feeding
6 to 9 months	drinks from a cup held by an adult eats soft food from a spoon begins rotary chewing (in a circular motion) enjoys holding food and finger-feeding	loves to be included at the table for meals begins to show likes and dislikes for certain foods
9 to 12 months	tries to use a spoon starts to finger feed with a more advanced grasp feeds at regular times	is aware of what others do imitates others
12 to 18 months	grasps and releases food with fingers holds spoon but use is awkward turns spoon in mouth uses a cup but may dribble	wants food that others are eating loves performing understands simple questions and requests
18 to 24 months	appetite decreases likes eating with hands likes trying different textures	is easily distracted prefers certain foods ritual becomes important

More information from the CPS

Additional resources

Reviewed by the following CPS committees

Allergy Section
Nutrition and Gastroenterology Committee
Public Education Advisory Committee

Last updated: January 2020

Health Canada | Education in Canada, study and education in Canada

Canadian healthcare is one of the few areas that the state is rightly proud of. Medicine in Canada is government funded and is best described as a system of insurance and health plans across ten provinces and three territories. This system is known as Medicare and provides free or virtually free health care to all Canadian citizens.
This structure was designed because health care in Canada is administered by local, provincial governments, not the federal government. The health care systems of each province or territory are bound by uniform principles that are established at the national level.

The administration and provision of healthcare services in Canada is the responsibility of each individual province or territory. Provinces or territories plan, fund, and evaluate the provision of hospital care, physician and other specialist services, and certain drugs.
The role of the federal government in the health care system is limited to establishing and enforcing the general principle of Medicare, partial funding of provincial or territorial health programs, and performing other functions specified in the Canadian constitution. One of these functions is the direct medical care of special groups of Canadian citizens, which include veterans, native Canadians living on reservations, military personnel and members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Other functions are the prevention and protection of public health and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

Canada's healthcare system relies heavily on primary care physicians, who make up about 51% of all general practitioners in Canada. They are the interface between the patient and the formal healthcare system, and control access to most specialist doctors, hospital care, diagnostic tests, and prescription drugs. Such a family doctor can be changed an unlimited number of times on the advice of friends and a change in mood.

In Canada, however, there is no "community medicine" system where physicians work directly for the government. Most doctors have their own private practice and enjoy a high degree of autonomy. Some doctors work in hospitals or local health centers. Private physicians are paid by the State on a par with the care provided, and are paid directly from the provincial or territorial budget. Therapists who do not have a private practice receive either a fixed salary or a fee depending on the number of medical services provided.

When Canadians need medical care, they go to a general practitioner or clinic of their choice and show them their health insurance card, which is issued to all legal citizens and residents of the country. Canadians do not pay directly for medical services provided, and they do not need to fill out various forms for services covered by the insurance policy. There are no monetary limits or additional payments for such services.

Dentists work independently of the health care system except when there is an urgent need for dental surgeon care. Pharmacies are also organizations independent of the state.
More than 95% of all Canadian hospitals operate as non-profit private organizations run by a local board of directors, volunteer organizations or municipalities.

In addition to the national health insurance system, the provinces and territories also provide health care to those in need of additional health care - the elderly, children and the unemployed. These additional health care packages often include free medicines, dental care, eye care services, various devices for the disabled (prostheses, wheelchairs, etc.), and more.

Although the provinces and territories provide additional services to some segments of the population, this service is in the private sector, which means that the inhabitants of the country directly pay for them out of their own pockets. It is reasonable in this case to purchase insurance that covers most of the costs of the services of a dentist, ophthalmologist, etc. Such insurances are often included in a compensation package that is offered along with wages.

If you move from one province to another, Canadian residents can still get free health care.
Newly minted immigrants pay the maximum rate in their first year of health insurance coverage. From the second year, a provision comes into force according to which, if the income does not exceed a certain amount, the immigrant is exempted from insurance premiums or reduced to a symbolic amount. When calculating this kind of contributions, the annual income of the resident is taken into account, and not the amount on his bank accounts, so that the formal unemployed can qualify for free medical care.

Medicine in Canada is funded primarily by taxes, both local and state income taxes and corporate income taxes. Some provinces use sales taxes and lottery revenues to fund their healthcare system. These additional revenues, however, do not play a large role in Canada's health care funding.

To strengthen the health care system, in 1999 the government announced that provinces and territories would receive an additional $11.5 billion from 1999 until 2004 for additional needs of the system. Reform is coming, but its essence is only the improvement of the existing order of things, and not the creation of a fundamentally new way of insuring and providing medical care to Canadians.

One of the most important indicators of the success of the current healthcare system is the health of Canadians. The life expectancy of Canadians is 78.6 years (81.4 years for women and 75.8 years for men), which is one of the highest among developed countries. Infant mortality rate at 1996 was 5.6 per 1000 live births - one of the lowest rates in the world.

In the USA, unlike Canada, medical care is paid. If you end up in a hospital in the United States, then you will not avoid problems. The average charge per day for a hospital stay is about $800, and this amount does not include the medical services themselves: surgery, hospital care, medicines, etc.
Persons with an insurance policy are paid up to 80% of the cost of a hospital stay, the remaining 20% must be paid by themselves. However, Americans manage to save on hospital care, cutting costs to a minimum.

For example, American patients bring a pillow, sheets, clothes and slippers to the hospital, which would cost them an additional $300 a day. It is also recommended not to eat hospital food, but to ask relatives to bring them food. You should go to the hospital for a check-up on Thursday so as not to pay for weekends when tests are not performed, however, a fee for staying in the hospital is charged. It is strongly recommended that you carefully study the invoice presented, as services not rendered to you are often entered into it. If you need to go to the hospital, compare the prices of several hospitals - the difference can be quite significant.

Ideally, it is better not to get sick at all. That is why such great, even painful attention is paid here to one's own health. A lot of people go jogging, attend sports clubs, etc.

Tips for immigrants

All Canadians can get free health care, but each province has its own health insurance system.
The health insurance system works as follows: all services of Canadian doctors are paid, but the state pays for them. That's what the health insurance system is for. In Ontario, this system is called Ontario Health Coverage. In order to become a member of the health insurance system, you should visit one of the offices of the Ministry of Health within a few days after your arrival, fill out an application for yourself and all family members (the "Registration for Ontario Health Coverage" form), after which you will be photographed for the form. .
You will be given a Health Card with your health insurance number. Health Card is a plastic card with your photo, signature, insurance number and home address. The Health Card, like a driver's license, is a document that proves your identity. It is issued to every member of the family, even children.

It is important to know that for the first three months after entering Canada, you are not entitled to a public health insurance policy. That is why you will have to take care of your health yourself by purchasing insurance from one of the commercial insurance companies. The average price of an insurance policy that covers all medical services for three months will cost you about $150 per person. It is possible to purchase cheaper insurance, but in this case, not all medical services will be paid for. Despite the fact that for newly arrived immigrants, insurance costs seem like a waste of money, it is worth buying insurance policies at least for children - they are more at risk of illness during acclimatization.

During these three months, it is advisable to take extra precautions and, if possible, not get sick or get injured. There are cases when people who came to Canada received serious injuries in the very first days. Without insurance, a stay in a Canadian hospital would cost about $2,000.
Always take your Health Card with you when you go to the hospital or your doctor, as you will need to show it. For Toronto residents over the age of 65, a special Health 65 Card is issued. With these cards, older people receive a large number of benefits when buying medicines.
The Ontario insurance policy does not cover dentistry, cosmetic surgery, and alternative medicine (homeopaths, etc.) services.

Dental services

If you have a severe toothache, you can go to the emergency room of a nearby hospital. There you will definitely be received and sent to the dentist on duty. However, do not count on the attention of a specialist and qualified assistance - they will simply pull out a bad tooth, thus providing emergency assistance. If you want to save your teeth, contact the dentist and do it as early as possible. The cost of treating one tooth is about 50-100 dollars. Complicated or serious cases can cost more - up to $500-600. Technical prosthetics will require much more money.

When applying for a permanent job (not under a contract), the employee is offered a compensation package (benefits) in addition to the basic salary. Most often, this is medical insurance for dental services for the whole family, usually not exceeding 2-3 thousand dollars a year.
For schoolchildren whose parents cannot pay for a dentist, there is a special program where they are treated by dentists under contract with Education Canada. This, of course, is a significant help to the budget of people who have not yet settled in the country, but the quality of treatment by such doctors is noticeably inferior to the quality of treatment by paid dentists.

In large cities it is possible to treat teeth at reduced rates, using the services of "illegals". "Illegals" are immigrant dentists who cannot run their own practice before passing the exam and confirming their diploma. This procedure usually takes two to three years, and sometimes more. During this time, immigrant dentists begin to practice illegally. The quality of their services is not inferior (and sometimes even superior) to the quality of certified Canadian doctors, and the prices are much lower (tooth treatment will cost about $30, and prosthetics - $100). If you have not been offered a compensation package at work, you have your own business, or any other situation that forces you to pay for the services of a dentist out of your own pocket, then it is better to use the services of illegal doctors. Obviously, "illegals" do not advertise in newspapers, so they should be looked for through acquaintances. However, as soon as the "illegal" confirms his diploma, he opens his practice and raises prices, so you should look for a new doctor.

Choosing a Doctor

Canada has a system of family doctors. Under this system, you can choose a doctor who will monitor the health of all members of your family, pay you visits if someone from the family gets sick, etc. However, it is very difficult to find a family doctor in a large city - the demand is high, so doctors are not interested in serving a large number of families.

If you feel unwell, then you need to contact one of the medical offices (similar to polyclinics in Russia). In them you can make an appointment with any of the general practitioners of this office. You can also sign up by phone. However, don't count on getting to the doctor's office exactly at the appointed time - there are queues in Canadian medical institutions too.

There are many Russian speaking doctors in Toronto, especially in the North York area. It is wise to contact them if you have problems with English, because if you have something serious and need specialist advice, you need to visit a therapist and describe the symptoms in detail, since it is the therapist who will decide which specialist to refer you to.

Medical emergency

In this scenario, you need to go to the hospital - the emergency room. Go there for any occasion - if you are injured, you have a fever, you have internal pains, etc. In the emergency department, you will be seen by the doctor on duty, and then the specialist on duty, who will provide you with the necessary assistance. If necessary, you will be hospitalized.

If you are unable to get to the hospital on your own and need urgent medical attention (shortness of breath, heart attacks and other possible causes of death), then call an ambulance by dialing 911. An ambulance will come to you and take you to the emergency room at the hospital, where doctors will attend to you.

Medicines

Most drugs with a "name" do not differ in their action from drugs without a "name", which are called here "ordinary" or "generic". The difference in price can range from 20 to 800%. For example, the anti-anxiety drug Valium costs US$21.79 in the US., a similar drug, Diazepam, costs $7.99, the drug for bacterial infections Keflex costs $46.79, its "unnamed" analogue - Cephalexin - costs $21.79, the drug for relaxation Inderal - $18.49, its analogue Propranolol $4.99, muscle pain medicine Flexiril costs $25.79, while its counterpart, Cyclobenzaprine, costs US$20.49.

Canadian pharmacies sell medicines made in Canada, almost all of which have cheaper equivalents. Heed the advice: when a doctor prescribes a medicine for you, ask if it is possible to use generic. If a harmful doctor still prescribed an expensive medicine with a "name", ask the same question to the pharmacist. In theory, pharmacies only sell the drugs that are on the prescription, but in rare cases they can be incredibly understanding. Also, don't hesitate to ask your doctor if they have a prescription for you, as drug companies often provide doctors with free drug samples to advertise their product.

If you are prescribed a long course of treatment, buy medicines in large packages - this is 25-30% cheaper. For example, a pack of 100 aspirins costs US$8.99, while a pack of 50 aspirins costs US$5.99. In the first case, you pay 9 cents for one tablet, and in the second case, you pay 12 cents. Such savings are unusual for Russians. In contrast, residents of the United States and Canada are advised to count the number of tablets and compare it with that indicated on the package. Also note that for the elderly there are discounts when purchasing medicines in pharmacies. Remind both your doctor and pharmacist of this.

Just like groceries, the prices of the same drugs vary from store to store. Specialty Drug Marts have the highest prices, stores like Saveway or London Drugs have slightly lower prices, and Super Stores have even lower prices. The drugs mentioned above differ in price (in US dollars) in these stores as follows: in the Supermarket Cyclobenzaprine costs US$14.83, it is in Saveway - 15.60; in a specialized store, i.e. in the pharmacy - 17.45: Diazepam, respectively, 5.66, 5.10; 10.90; Flexiril 20.53; 20.40; 23.10: Keflex - 40.98; 38.45; 45.17; Valium - 16.98; 16.05; 29.84. Although these data are taken from the US examples, the situation is the same in Canada.

Health care in Canada, medicine | Immigration to Canada

Some facts about Canadian medicine

The Canadian healthcare system (Medicare) is rightfully considered one of the best in the world. Health care in Canada is funded primarily by taxes, both local and state income taxes and corporate income taxes. Some provinces use sales taxes and lottery revenues to fund their healthcare system. These additional revenues, however, do not play a large role in Canada's health care funding.
One of the most important indicators of the success of the current healthcare system is the health of Canadians. The life expectancy of Canadians is 78.6 years (81.4 years for women and 75.8 years for men), which is one of the highest among developed countries.
Health Insurance Card

Medicare is a government service and each province has its own health insurance program. In general, the programs do not differ much, but there are certain features in payment: for example, in some provinces a monthly fee for health insurance is paid. photo, signature, insurance number and home address. The Health Insurance Card, like a driver's license, is a document that proves your identity. It is issued to every member of the family, even children.
The health insurance card is issued by the province where you live. To obtain a Health Insurance Card, you must fill out an application form, the form can be obtained at a clinic, hospital, pharmacy or Immigrant Assistance Organization. You need to have an ID-document (passport) and Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292), or Permanent resident Сard.
It is important to know that for the first three months after entering Canada, you are not eligible for a public health insurance policy. That is why you will have to take care of your health yourself by purchasing insurance from one of the commercial insurance companies. Addresses and phone numbers of private insurance companies can be found in the telephone directory in the yellow pages. Keep in mind that regular health insurance does not cover ambulances, dentists, prescriptions for medicines, and eyeglasses.
Refugees can receive free ambulances and essential services for the first three months of their stay in Canada through the Interim Federal Health Program.
The health insurance card is issued for each family member personally. Please note that the Health Insurance Card is one of the ID documents in Canada and is for personal use only.

Physicians and clinics
Canada's healthcare system relies heavily on primary care physicians, who make up about 51% of all general practitioners in Canada. They are the interface between the patient and the formal healthcare system, and control access to most specialist doctors, hospital care, diagnostic tests, and prescription drugs. Such a family doctor can be changed an unlimited number of times on the advice of friends and a change in mood.
Most doctors have their own private practice and enjoy a high degree of autonomy. Many doctors work in hospitals or local health centers (Polyclinics exist in the province of Quebec). Private physicians are paid by the State on a par with the care provided, and are paid directly from the provincial or territorial budget. Therapists who do not have a private practice receive either a fixed salary or a fee depending on the number of medical services provided.
When Canadians need medical care, they go to a general practitioner or clinic of their choice and show them their health insurance card, which is issued to all legal citizens and residents of the country. Canadians do not pay directly for medical services provided, and they do not need to fill out various forms for services covered by the insurance policy. There are no monetary limits or additional payments for such services. Everything is handled through
Dentists work independently of the healthcare system, except when there is an urgent need for dental surgery. Pharmacies are also organizations independent of the state.
More than 95% of all Canadian hospitals operate as non-profit private organizations run by a local board of directors, volunteer organizations or municipalities. In addition to the national health insurance system, the provinces and territories also provide health care to those in need of additional health care - the elderly, children and the unemployed. These additional health care packages often include free medicines, dental care, eye care services, various devices for the disabled (prostheses, wheelchairs, etc.), and more.
Although the provinces and territories provide additional services to some segments of the population, this service sector is in the private sector, which means that the inhabitants of the country directly pay for them out of their own pockets. It is reasonable in this case to purchase insurance that covers most of the costs of the services of a dentist, ophthalmologist, etc. Such insurances are often included in a compensation package that is offered along with wages.
When moving from one province to another, residents of Canada can still count on free health care.

Ambulance services :
If you need emergency ambulance, call 911. If you are unable to get to the hospital on your own and need urgent medical attention (shortness of breath, heart attacks and other possible causes of death), then call an ambulance. An ambulance will arrive and take you to the emergency room at the hospital, where doctors will attend to you.
If you have a chronic disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure, allergies to medicines, you must inform your family doctor about this in order to provide appropriate medical assistance. .

Vaccinations :
Compulsory Immunization of the population is one of the most effective ways to protect the population from serious infectious diseases (such as: diphtheria, poliomyelitis, etc.). When enrolling a child in school, you must provide information about the availability of vaccinations. If any vaccinations are missing, you should contact your pediatrician or children's health center for vaccination.
Canada has a Population Immunization Schedule. For example, some vaccines are given to children at 2 months of age, some at 4 months of age, and so on. Get a copy of the Immunization Schedule from your pediatrician, as the Schedule may vary by Province.