Health Care in the Montreal Region

Frequently Asked Questions

• How can I access the healthcare system in Quebec?
  Military families are exempt from the regular waiting time to obtain health insurance coverage and can now obtain coverage as soon as they arrive in Quebec. To submit a request, call the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) at 5148643411 (Montreal area) or 18005619749 (toll-free) and mention your status as a newly arrived military family. The agent will then explain the steps for submitting a request.
• What is the GAMF?

  To see a family doctor in Quebec, you now need to register with the Guichet d’accès à un médecin de famille (GAMF) (Quebec Family Doctor Finder). In the database, the residents of Quebec looking for a family doctor are grouped together by region. Each person who registers is assessed and prioritized on the basis of vulnerability criteria determined by the RAMQ. The priority assigned to your request depends on your state of health and the availability of medical personnel, not on the date you registered.

  To register, visit www.gamf.gouv.qc.ca with your health card in hand.

  Note that there is a waiting time before you are assigned a family doctor and that registering does not result in a doctor’s appointment. Therefore, visiting a drop-in clinic is a good option while you are waiting to be assigned a doctor.

  We encourage you to take steps on your own by directly contacting doctors and clinics to find out if they are taking new patients!

• How can I get a doctor’s appointment quickly?

  If you do not yet have a family doctor but would like to have a check-up or if you have an issue requiring immediate medical attention, you can visit a drop-in medical clinic. There are many in the various municipalities of Quebec, and they can be accessed by various means. They are often open seven days a week but have their own hours. Some community centres (CLSCs) and family medicine groups (GMFs) also see drop-in patients at certain times.

  • How to do an Internet search using your postal code
    • You can search for a drop-in clinic near your home by entering your postal code in the Quebec government’s directory of healthcare resources (link below). You will obtain the contact information for all the medical clinics near your home, the services they offer, and other useful information. Given that clinics operate differently, you should contact their reception desk directly to find out the procedure for accessing their drop-in services.  http://sante.gouv.qc.ca/en/repertoire-ressources/recherche/ 
  • How to use Bonjour-santé services
    • On the Bonjour-santé site, you can make a last-minute appointment with a doctor in a medical clinic near your home. For a small fee (around $15), you can obtain an appointment with a doctor in a clinic for the same day or the next day. You will thus save the waiting time. You need a health card to use this service.
  • How to contact Info-Santé and Info-Social
    • On your phone, dial 811 to speak with one of the bilingual nurses and social workers available 24/7 to help you navigate Quebec’s healthcare and social service systems. 
  • How to contact the community centre (CLSC) in your area
    • The CLSCs know what health services are offered in their area. They can easily advise you of the clinics that can meet your needs. What’s more, they offer front-line health and psychosocial services. They also provide assistance to families, newborns, young mothers, teens, the elderly and adults in need. For example, at CLSCs you can have a free blood test done, have your children vaccinated, get your dressing changed following an operation or take prenatal courses.
  • How to consult the Tools and Resources section of this site
    • The MFRC has developed several tools to help you find resources in the community. Consult the Tools and Resources section below. 
• How to contact the MFRC’s healthcare social worker

  The MFRC has a social worker who can advise you of the healthcare resources in the region. We encourage you to contact her as soon as you move here.

  The MFRC is always looking for opportunities for partnerships with healthcare providers. Therefore, if our social worker already has your contact information, she will be able to contact you as soon as a partnership or opportunity comes up near your home.