Health Care and Employee Benefits

If you have received an offer from U of T, please connect with the benefits officer listed in your letter of offer to learn more about benefits and to enrol. Through U of T, you will be provided private health, dental and travel benefit coverage that supplements the basic health plan available through the government.  

Information about employee benefits (health, dental and travel benefits) at the University of Toronto can be accessed through the HR Service Centre. 

Most faculty members and their family members will be eligible to enrol in our government’s health plan, the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), upon moving to the Greater Toronto Area. OHIP pays for many services you may need such as appointments with a family doctor, visits to walk-in clinics and some other health care providers, visits to the emergency room, and medical tests and surgeries.  

For those who are not eligible for OHIP, please contact your unit’s HR team to inquire about the University Health Insurance Plan which is mandatory for those who are not eligible or waiting to be eligible for UHIP. 

Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)

What is OHIP and what services does it cover?

Our provincial health plan is publicly funded. Following the standards of the Canada Health Act, OHIP provides for universal coverage of all “medically necessary” services. This includes unlimited visits to the doctor of your choice, surgical fees and hospital ward charges. For further details about eligibility and coverage offered by OHIP, please refer to the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care’s website.

How do I apply for OHIP?

Application for OHIP must be made at a Service Ontario location. The locations closest to the three U of T campuses are:

  • St. George Campus: 777 Bay Street, Toronto ON, M5G 2C8
  • Scarborough Campus: 3495 Lawrence Avenue E., Scarborough ON, M1H 1B3
  • Mississauga Campus: 1151 Dundas Street W., Unit 14, Mississauga ON, L5C 1C6

For information about the documentation you will need to provide, please see the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care’s website. Apply as soon as possible upon arrival in Toronto.

When you are covered by OHIP, you will receive an Ontario Health Card, an identification card bearing a permanent health insurance number. Every person, including children, must have their own Ontario Health Card and show it every time you see your doctor, visit an emergency room, have a medical test or go for surgery.

University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP)

What is UHIP and what services does it cover?

The University of Toronto, with other Ontario universities, has arranged an insurance plan known as the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) to provide health care coverage comparable to that provided by OHIP. Your Human Resources Office can provide further details about coverage and the cost of UHIP coverage.

Who is eligible for UHIP coverage?

UHIP is provided by the university, on a compulsory basis, for University of Toronto employees and their dependents not entitled to OHIP. Only those with an approved waiver may decline participation in the plan. Coverage under UHIP begins as of the date the participant and/or family member arrives in Canada for residency provided that they enroll within 30 days of the arrival date. Dependents who do not enroll within 30 days of arrival will be charged a late application fee. The UHIP charge will be retroactive to the date of entry.

How do I apply for UHIP?

Participants must complete their application forms in person at their Human Resources Office within days of their arrival and submit payment for the cost of this coverage. The University will verify that the employee and dependents (if applicable) are eligible and submit completed application forms to the insurance carrier.

At the time of enrolment in UHIP, temporary proof of coverage is given to each participant. Plastic cards proving that you are covered for health care through UHIP are mailed directly to you before the temporary proof expires. Whenever medical services are required you must show your UHIP card.