Moving from British Columbia to Ontario

1. 1

   Update your address and your British Columbia programs

   Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Update your address with Canada Post (mail forwarding), CRA, Service Canada, Elections Canada, your bank, employer, and provincial agencies including your health card and driver's licence address.

   Full Ontario change-of-address checklist →

   British Columbia programs and benefits on the way out

   • “BC PharmaCare coverage, including through Plan NP (National Pharmacare), is not available to B.C. residents once they move permanently from B.C. PharmaCare coverage cannot be claimed during a period of temporary MSP coverage in another province after your move.” Leaving BC Permanently - Province of British Columbia →

   ↑ Close this section
2. 2

   Health coverage: British Columbia ends, Ontario begins

   OHIP: No waiting period: OHIP coverage is immediate (the 3-month wait was removed in 2020). You must be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days of your coverage period.Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Leaving British Columbia

   • “If you plan to move permanently outside British Columbia, you must notify Health Insurance BC (HIBC) as soon as possible of the date of your departure and your new address.” Leaving BC Permanently - Province of British Columbia →
   • “If you are moving within Canada, MSP coverage will be provided for the rest of the month in which you leave the province plus two consecutive months. Coverage may be extended for up to three extra months while you are in transit. You should apply immediately to the health plan of your new province or territory when you arrive.” Leaving BC Permanently - Province of British Columbia →

   Keep your old provincial health coverage active until your new coverage starts. Do not cancel it early.

   Arriving in Ontario

   OHIP: No waiting period: OHIP coverage is immediate (the 3-month wait was removed in 2020). You must be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days of your coverage period.

   Apply as soon as you arrive: ServiceOntario (in person or online).

   Official source → https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-cardMoving to Ontario: the full new-resident guide →↑ Close this section
3. 3

   Driver's licence: British Columbia to Ontario

   Exchange deadline in Ontario: 60 days.Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Your British Columbia licence

   • “When you apply for a driver’s licence in your new province or territory you will need to surrender your B.C. driver’s licence.” Leaving BC Permanently - Province of British Columbia →
   • “When you make a permanent move from B.C., your B.C. driver’s licence will remain valid for 90 days, enabling you a transitionary period to obtain a driver’s licence in your new jurisdiction.” Moving to, from or within B.C. →

   Your Ontario licence

   Exchange deadline in Ontario: 60 days.

   You may drive on your existing out-of-province licence for up to 60 days after becoming an Ontario resident; after that you must exchange it for an Ontario licence.

   Testing is typically waived when exchanging a same-class Canadian licence.

   Official source → https://www.ontario.ca/page/exchange-out-province-drivers-licence↑ Close this section
4. 4

   Your vehicle: cancel in British Columbia, register in Ontario

   You have 30 days from the date you became an Ontario resident to register your out-of-province vehicle. The 30 days comes from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook ("Vehicle insurance and registration"); the ServiceOntario service page does not state a day-count.Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Cancel in British Columbia

   • “Our most important tip for cancelling your policy is to bring your licence plates to your broker - they are linked directly to your insurance.” Cancel your insurance →
   • “The sooner you cancel your licence plates and insurance, the more you may get back if you're eligible for a refund. A cancellation fee may apply.” Cancel your insurance →
   • “Before you leave B.C., go to an Autoplan broker to update your insurance.” Moving to, from or within B.C. →

   Register in Ontario: ServiceOntario

   Watch for: 13% Retail Sales Tax (RST) applies to private inter-provincial purchases. If you need to drive before getting the SSC and registration, you must purchase a 10-day Special Permit ($23.50) in person at ServiceOntario.

   You have 30 days from the date you became an Ontario resident to register your out-of-province vehicle. The 30 days comes from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook ("Vehicle insurance and registration"); the ServiceOntario service page does not state a day-count.

   Inspection: Safety Standards Certificate (SSC). Obtain the SSC from a licensed Ontario motor vehicle inspection station before registering.

   Official source: ServiceOntario → https://www.ontario.ca/page/register-out-province-vehicle-ontarioOntario vehicle re-registration guide, with what to bring →

   Partner · Guidepost earns a commission

   Moving to a new place without a policy? Square One quotes tenant and home insurance online in Ontario.

   ↑ Close this section
5. 5

   Federal updates and the December 31 rule

   CRA: update your mailing address via My Account at canada.ca or by calling 1-800-959-8281.Open this section ↓Close ↑

   • CRA: update your mailing address via My Account at canada.ca or by calling 1-800-959-8281. Direct deposit details stay the same.
   • Elections Canada: update your voter registration at elections.ca or at your nearest Elections Canada office.
   • Utilities, waste/recycling, transit passes, and school registration are set by your municipality: rules and providers vary by city. Check your city or municipal website for local services.

   Which province you were resident in for the year

   Your province or territory of residence is the province or territory where you lived or of which you were considered to be a factual resident on December 31 of the year.

   Your province or territory of residence - Canada.ca →

   If you need a replacement birth certificate, SIN confirmation letter, or passport, see the replace-documents guide for Ontario-specific steps and agencies.

   Ontario replace-documents guide →↑ Close this section
6. 6

   Your free BC to ON checklist

   Open this section ↓Close ↑

   Ontario deadlines at a glance

   • □Driver's licence exchange: 60 days
   • □OHIP: apply as soon as you arrive
   • □Vehicle registration: 30 days
   • □Licence address update: Ontario law requires you to update your driver's licence address within 6 days of moving. Update at ServiceOntario online or in person.

   Leaving British Columbia

   • □Health coverage: “If you plan to move permanently outside British Columbia, you must notify Health Insurance BC (HIBC) as soon as possible of the date of your departure and your new address.” Source →
   • □“If you are moving within Canada, MSP coverage will be provided for the rest of the month in which you leave the province plus two consecutive months. Coverage may be extended for up to three extra months while you are in transit. You should apply immediately to the health plan of your new province or territory when you arrive.” Source →
   • □Driver's licence: “When you apply for a driver’s licence in your new province or territory you will need to surrender your B.C. driver’s licence.” Source →
   • □“When you make a permanent move from B.C., your B.C. driver’s licence will remain valid for 90 days, enabling you a transitionary period to obtain a driver’s licence in your new jurisdiction.” Source →
   • □Vehicle: “Our most important tip for cancelling your policy is to bring your licence plates to your broker - they are linked directly to your insurance.” Source →
   • □“The sooner you cancel your licence plates and insurance, the more you may get back if you're eligible for a refund. A cancellation fee may apply.” Source →
   • □“Before you leave B.C., go to an Autoplan broker to update your insurance.” Source →
   • □Programs and benefits: “BC PharmaCare coverage, including through Plan NP (National Pharmacare), is not available to B.C. residents once they move permanently from B.C. PharmaCare coverage cannot be claimed during a period of temporary MSP coverage in another province after your move.” Source →

   Arriving in Ontario

   • □Update your address: Ontario change-of-address checklist. Guide →
   • □Driver's licence: exchange within 60 days. You may drive on your existing out-of-province licence for up to 60 days after becoming an Ontario resident; after that you must exchange it for an Ontario licence. Source →
   • □Health card: apply for OHIP as soon as you arrive. ServiceOntario (in person or online). Source →
   • □Coverage start: No waiting period: OHIP coverage is immediate (the 3-month wait was removed in 2020). You must be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days of your coverage period. Source →
   • □Keep your old provincial health coverage active until your new coverage starts. Do not cancel it early.
   • □Vehicle: You have 30 days from the date you became an Ontario resident to register your out-of-province vehicle. The 30 days comes from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook ("Vehicle insurance and registration"); the ServiceOntario service page does not state a day-count. Source →
   • □Inspection: Safety Standards Certificate (SSC). Guide →
   • □CRA: update your mailing address via My Account at canada.ca or by calling 1-800-959-8281. Direct deposit details stay the same.
   • □Elections Canada: update your voter registration at elections.ca or at your nearest Elections Canada office.
   • □Utilities, waste/recycling, transit passes, and school registration are set by your municipality: rules and providers vary by city. Check your city or municipal website for local services.
   • □Replace or obtain documents: Ontario replace-documents guide. Guide →

   Download the BC to ON checklist as a PDF

   Printable, with every source beside its item. Free, no sign-in.

   Download this checklistPrint

   Free. General information only, not legal or regulatory advice.

   Keep it with the rest. This one files behind tab 3 of the Home File.

   ↑ Close this section
7. 7

   Common questions

   When does my British Columbia health coverage end after I move to Ontario?Open this section ↓Close ↑

   When does my British Columbia health coverage end after I move to Ontario?

   British Columbia publishes it this way. “If you plan to move permanently outside British Columbia, you must notify Health Insurance BC (HIBC) as soon as possible of the date of your departure and your new address.” “If you are moving within Canada, MSP coverage will be provided for the rest of the month in which you leave the province plus two consecutive months. Coverage may be extended for up to three extra months while you are in transit. You should apply immediately to the health plan of your new province or territory when you arrive.” Keep your old provincial health coverage active until your new coverage starts. Do not cancel it early.

   How long do I have to exchange my British Columbia licence in Ontario?

   60 days. You may drive on your existing out-of-province licence for up to 60 days after becoming an Ontario resident; after that you must exchange it for an Ontario licence.

   Do I have to hand back my British Columbia plates when I register the car in Ontario?

   “Our most important tip for cancelling your policy is to bring your licence plates to your broker - they are linked directly to your insurance.” “The sooner you cancel your licence plates and insurance, the more you may get back if you're eligible for a refund. A cancellation fee may apply.” “Before you leave B.C., go to an Autoplan broker to update your insurance.” In Ontario: You have 30 days from the date you became an Ontario resident to register your out-of-province vehicle. The 30 days comes from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook ("Vehicle insurance and registration"); the ServiceOntario service page does not state a day-count.

   Is there a free checklist for moving from British Columbia to Ontario?

   Yes. The checklist on this page lists what to cancel in British Columbia and what to register in Ontario, each item with its official source, and you can download it as a free PDF. It helps you plan the move; it is not legal advice.

   ↑ Close this section

When you are ready

Move Pack: dated plan and documents$9.99

Dated and done for you. Enter your move date below and the plan builds free; pay once to make the documents on this device.

• Your dated plan: every deadline computed from your move date, each with its official source
• The cancel-and-register sheet: leaving column and arriving column, in order
• The itemized cost for your pair: verified figures only, with what is excluded said plainly
• The who-to-notify set: federal, the province you leave, the province you arrive in
• Your first-week sheet: what closes within seven days and what to start

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Move Pack: dated plan and documentsBC to ON, made in your browser

YOUR DATED PLAN

Nothing you type here is sent to Guidepost. It stays in this browser, on this device.

The day you arrive

Enter your move date and every window below becomes a date.

1. DateBritish Columbia health coverage ends

   “If you are moving within Canada, MSP coverage will be provided for the rest of the month in which you leave the province plus two consecutive months. Coverage may be extended for up to three extra months while you are in transit. You should apply immediately to the health plan of your new province or territory when you arrive.”

   Leaving BC Permanently - Province of British Columbia →
2. DateBritish Columbia licence stops being valid

   “When you make a permanent move from B.C., your B.C. driver’s licence will remain valid for 90 days, enabling you a transitionary period to obtain a driver’s licence in your new jurisdiction.”

   Moving to, from or within B.C. →
3. DateApply for OHIP

   OHIP: apply as soon as you arrive

   OHIP enrolment →
4. DateOHIP coverage begins

   No waiting period: OHIP coverage is immediate (the 3-month wait was removed in 2020). You must be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days of your coverage period.

   OHIP enrolment →
5. DateExchange your licence in Ontario

   Driver's licence exchange: 60 days

   Ontario driver's licence exchange →
6. DateLicence address update in Ontario

   Licence address update: Ontario law requires you to update your driver's licence address within 6 days of moving. Update at ServiceOntario online or in person.

   Ontario change of address →
7. DateRegister your vehicle in Ontario

   Vehicle registration: 30 days

   ServiceOntario: vehicle registration →

Move Pack: dated plan and documents$9.99

Dated and done for you: the plan above as five printable documents for British Columbia to Ontario, made on this device. What it unlocks:

• Your dated plan: every deadline computed from your move date, each with its official source
• The cancel-and-register sheet: leaving column and arriving column, in order
• The itemized cost for your pair: verified figures only, with what is excluded said plainly
• The who-to-notify set: federal, the province you leave, the province you arrive in
• Your first-week sheet: what closes within seven days and what to start

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See a sample (PDF): the five documents for a sample move from Ontario to Alberta

Informational guide only. Guidepost is not a law firm. This guide explains the typical process and is not legal advice. Requirements can change. Verify current rules with the relevant government authority or a qualified professional before you act.