As more and more senior Canadians become fulltime RVers, it seems the more questions surface. “Where can I call home?” “Can a campground be my official residence?” “How long do I have to stay in the province (or Canada)?” “What is classed as a residence?” “Can I explore Canada in the summer and go south in the winter too?” “If I take the time out from my provincial medical can I explore the USA for a year or two?” “How long can I be in another country?” “Where can I find a place to spend a season in a campground?”  These discussions between RVers seem to go on and on.  The emails to our website concerning this topic are on the increase as well.

     I contacted the medical office of each province/territory and asked four questions. “Do provincial residents pay a monthly fee for medical?” “What is the definition of residency to qualify for provincial health insurance?” and “What is the time residents can apply for extended ‘time out’ from their province and for how long?” I then contacted provincial camping organizations, (all provinces do not have a camping association) to find out which campgrounds could be used as year round residences.  The results were interesting,

     As Canadians our medical coverage is very precious to us. Although it is not perfect I would hate to live in a country where such a benefit did not exist. For the most part if you do not get sick as you travel and don’t leave a paper trail of doctor bills behind you, most medical departments will never know what you were up to, unless of course you have a jealous relative that alerts the department you are breaking the rules. However if a situation is ever investigated it is up to you to prove you were in your province for the required amount of time.

     To find your personal answers to these concerns, the provincial medical phone numbers and websites are listed in the sidebar. This info is also featured in fall senior newspapers or from your medical insurance broker as well. But in all cases it is your responsibility to understand the regulations and how they apply to you. You are the one who could lose your coverage if you do not comply.

     We RVers may put our head down wherever we choose but we also must be a legal resident of a province to reap benefits such as medical coverage - we need an official addresses/residence that we call home.  In provinces such as Quebec or British Columbia RVers residing long term in a campground can use that address as their official residence – this can be a lot you purchased or one you lease. In other provinces an official residence must become your home base – this can be a house that you own, an apartment or a room at the house of a son or daughter or relative. A mailbox or a campground address is not sufficient. Just for info officials at the border are asking more questions these days, they mainly want to be reassured you have a reason to return home. Providing your official residence plus info about seasonal reservations at campground next summer or a phone on vacation or a registered business are some verifications you will be returning to Canada – never volunteer you are F/T because officials feel you have no reason to return and you could become a burden on the host country.

     To gather this information I talked to campground owners across Canada who keep parks open in the winter. In the Maritimes there are only one or two open in each province; Quebec has a few more available for year-round living plus these parks can be used as an official residence; most Ontario campgrounds that are open long-term translates as 9 to11 month parks where the gate may be locked for the closed month(s). Even in the Ontario parks that are open year round, RVers can only stay for maximum of 8 to 9 months. In Manitoba the parks for the most part are closed during the winter but if you look around you may discover a few spaces available - some Manitoba municipalities restrict camper-stays to a 30-day maximum but this is not always enforced. Saskatchewan has very few, if any, open year round. Alberta has several parks open 12-months, I talked to one park owner where RVers can sign up for a long term lease for stays longer than a 3-month minimum – this may and may not be accepted as an official address. British Columbia on the other hand has numerous parks that are open year-round. If you purchase a site or choose to lease one, your park can be your official residence. However because BC is a popular tourism centre some parks restrict stopovers to monthly renters only (if you stay longer you pay by the month not by the season) but RVers can still become long-term residents in less popular out-of-the-way campgrounds plus the park can also be your official address. In the Yukon a few parks are open with electric only but in North West Territories and Nunavut I could not find any campgrounds open.  A complete listing of Campgrounds ‘Open Year Round’ is featured on www.rvliving,.net (new listings added regularly). See our home page for details.

     For the most part Mobile Home parks in all provinces operate under different zoning regulations and these parks do not usually have sites for RVers on the move, but do not hesitate to ask if you can stay. Most fulltimers would prefer to go south in the winter but if that is not possible, the first option to find a home would be to contact your local RV Associations – those available are listed on www.explorer-rvclub.com/assoc.html.

     Because each province is so diverse and the rules and contact info vary considerably – another choice is to call the provincial tourist office (phone numbers are on listed on www.rvliving.net/nalinks.htm as well as in most International Campground Directories). Ask the tourist bureau for the RV or Camping Association phone number or for their publication listing campgrounds in the area.

     To find a winter home check out all the large and small campgrounds near where you want to spend your time. Campgrounds open from October to April are limited but you may even luck into a lone full-service site that was once used for the management to live in. Remember, you will still have to establish an official residence in a permanent location. When searching for a summer place to roost, don’t ignore a park 40-50 km away from where you want to be, it may save you big money. Your time in Canada could result in a relaxing laid back peaceful summer.

      In both cases it is important to call around to the various campgrounds to shop for seasonal rates. The longer you stay in a park the lower the price should be. Approximate daily cost in the summer may reach $30.00, weekly $200.00, and monthly $500.00 but a 6-month seasonal could be as low as $1200.00 to $1500.00. In one province a campground offered a season rate that only included weekends – their seasonal rate was considered long term from a few months to a year at a rate over $500.00 per month. On any extended stay, also expect to pay for the electric you use. (Tip: to reduce charges for electricity, put your fridge on propane, buy some table fans and leave the air off till it is absolutely necessary).

     Fulltimers or retired part timers who enjoy extended getaways prefer to spend the winter in the sunny south but occasionally due to family, medical or money situations it is not possible to leave; so RVers must find alternate places to camp and ways to comply with the provincial regulations. Although each province operates under different rules the following example may suggest a way around the times you cannot head south.

    In Ontario for instance some parks have established themselves to be open year-round but RVers cannot use them as a 12-month official home base. To counter the 8-9 month rule, our friends (and many others) call their fifth wheel home but they are now working again. Recent health problems have clipped their wings and for the time being they don’t go south in the winter. They spend the six months of winter in one park and in the spring they hire someone to move their unit to a different park for the summer. Although they work and live in an RV they call their daughters house their official home for drivers licences, insurance, voters list, Insurances, OHIP (Ontario Provincial Medical Insurance) etc.

     Many fulltimers establish an official address/residence much like our friends did. Our seasonal site becomes our temporary summer home. From our park we take short trips away each month to add variety to the season. By late fall it is time to migrate south or move to a park that is open for the winter.

     Over the past several years a number of Ontario park owners tried to comply with the wishes of their seasonals who wanted to live in their parks year-round. The owners launched long and extremely costly legal battles to make their parks into 12-month facilities. The end results is these parks now close their gates for one to three months. Only mobile home parks qualify for zoning to become a year-round residence and they must comply with strict regulations that are different than campground regulations. In most cases RV sites are not part of the mobile home concept.

Out of Province/Country Medical -

 the other half of this equation

     There is a determined amount of time (from 4-6 months) Canadians are expected to spend in their province each year (this may be a calendar year or your year of travel) to qualify as a resident. The balance of the year you can move about within Canada and/or the USA or Mexico. NOTE: It is not acceptable to remain in another country for longer than six months during any calendar year unless you have official visas. After that length of time you are deemed to be a resident who is expected to pay taxes.

     Again there doesn’t seem to be any control in place to enforce this time period but you should be aware of the legalities.  Several years ago we heard about Ontarians who lost their provincial coverage because they had a green card to work in the USA plus they took advantage of medical benefits when they returned home in the summer – no one can reap the ‘best’ from both countries. However we have never heard of someone losing this valued medical benefit because they were out of the province for 184 days rather than the 182 allowed.

   Some snowbird RVers complain that they can’t leave their province to tour Canada. But there are ways around this. You can shorten your time away in the winter by leaving late and returning early – this will free-up several months for touring nearby provinces. You can also take an extended time-out from your province, call your provincial medical office for more details.

     Out of country medical requirements also changed for us when John reached 65. Previously we had an annual policy grand-fathered in force since 1985. Our pre-existing health conditions were also dated to what they were in our 40’s. This policy ended at age 65. We have since discovered that now any change in medication up or down means it is difficult to find coverage for that problem until it has been stable for 6-months. That is not a big problem for a broken ankle but it is creates another concern when blood pressure meds are changed.  Some policies have a less strict time lapse but they will be more costly. Supplementary out-of-country coverage is important so you need to look at all options. Low cost annual policies are available for multiple trips but depending on your policy each trip must fall into the 35 or 90 or 180-day limit. Talk to your insurance agent for the various plans that apply to you.

     We recently discovered those receiving the military or federal government 40-day coverage for any one trip for out-of province/out-of-country throughout the year can upgrade their original $100,000.00 coverage to $5 million for a low annual fee. We unexpectedly heard about this when we called the PSHCP (Public Service Health care Plan) to check on what the 40-day coverage included.  The information was repeated in the FSNA (Federal Superannuates National Association) newsletter. Two of the companies we talked to about this upgrade was CARP (Canadian Association of Retired Persons) – 877 566 6805 and Medoc – 800-663-9995. The brokers of this military/government upgrade also sell top-up coverage for extended getaways but so do several private companies.  Shop around and call one or more insurance company for more details. We dropped from $1900.00 to $1250.00 for the two of us (165 days) by calling more than one company.  Some brokers offer deductibles to reduce the price. John’s policy includes $200.00 deductible but changes in BP meds need only be stable for three months – all other prescriptions, for six months.

    It’s true that out-of-country medical can be costly but out-of-province medical coverage is usually pennies a day. Just as a reminder if you have a medical problem in a province other than your own and do not have supplementary coverage you may be charged extra fees. For instance if one province charges $200.00 for a service and your province only pays $100.00 you could be required to pay the other $100.00. Not all benefits of your province apply in another; many provinces no longer pay air ambulance charges to bring you, your remains or your vehicle home. I can’t stress enough that it is your responsibility to become informed and determine how these regs apply to you.

      Definition of a resident according to the Canada Health Act is “a person who is legally entitled to remain in Canada (province); who makes his or her home in a province and who is ordinarily present in a province”. 

      Below is a brief overview to the questions I asked each province…for full details contact your provincial medical office. Frequently time in each province does not have to be consecutive. Expect to apply in writing for the extended time-outs.

Newfoundland – Residents pay no monthly fee for medical and if they call the province home; they can be out for 8-months per year. Time-out is 12 month on the original application, additional years it is 8 months.

Prince Edward Island - Residents pay no monthly fee for medical but they are required to be in the province for 183 days. Time-out of 12 months is available once in a lifetime.

New Brunswick - Residents pay no monthly fee for medical but they are required to be in the province for 183 days. Time out must be applied for and it can be for an extra 12-month period once every three years.

Nova Scotia - Residents pay no monthly fee for medical but they are required to be in the province for 183 days based on your year of travel, not by calendar year. Once in a lifetime residents can extend the six month period to cover 12-months.

Quebec -Residents pay no monthly fee for medical but they are required to be in the province for 182 days each calendar year – proof may be required. Consecutive periods of 21 days or less are not included in calculating time spent outside of Quebec. Once every seven years, it is possible to extend the six-month period to cover 12-months.

Ontario  - Residents have not paid a fee for medical since December 1989. It is now paid for through taxes and employers pay a health tax, not premiums for their employees. Residents are required to be in the province for 153 days (5-months) per year; they can travel outside Ontario for 212 days (7-months) per year. You can apply for an extended time-out for up to two-years once in a lifetime.

Manitoba - Residents pay no monthly fee for medical but they are required to be in the province for 6-months each calendar year. Once in every three years you can request an extension of another 6-month period.

Saskatchewan - Residents pay no monthly fee for medical but they are required to be in the province for 6-months each year. Extended time-outs up to 12-months can be requested as often as residents wish so long as they spend 6-months residency in the province before their next request.

Alberta - Residents are assessed a monthly fee for provincial medical coverage. They are required to be in the province for 183 days each year. Up to two-years (24 months) is allowed for extended travel.

British Columbia - Residents are assessed a monthly fee for provincial medical coverage. They are required to be in the province for 6-months of each year. Time-outs can occur for up to one-year (12 months) every 5 years for extended travel.

North West Territories - Residents pay no monthly fee for medical. They are required to be in the territory for 6-months each calendar year. There was nothing on their website about how often extended timeouts were allowed and my calls went unanswered. The website did relay that residents must spend 6-consecutive months in the province after an extended time away. 

Yukon Territories - Residents pay no monthly fee for medical coverage. They are required to be in the territory for 6-months each calendar year. Residents who plan to be away from the territory more than 210 days must apply for a time out.

Nunavut Territory  - Residents pay no monthly fee for medical. They are required to be in the territory for 183 days each calendar. Time-outs are allowed for 12 months but the frequency is determined by health services.

     In all cases it is your responsibility to become aware of your provincial regulations. It is up to you to decide what you can and cannot do to maintain your valuable medical benefit. Be informed and Happy Travels.

Side Bar to this story

General information about health care in Canada, see Health Canada .com www.canada.com/health/healthcarelinks.html

British Columbia
(250) 386-7171 or (1-800 788 4357 - BC only)  www.hlth.gov.bc.ca

Alberta
(780) 427-1432 or 310-0000 in Alberta, ask for Alberta Health Care  www.health.gov.ab.ca

Saskatchewan
(306) 787 3475 or  (1-800 667 7523 - Saskatchewan only) www.health.gov.sk.ca/ph_med_services.html

Manitoba
(204) 786-7101 or (1-800 392 1207- Manitoba only) www.gov.mb.ca/health/index.html

Ontario
www.health.gov.on.ca For Regional health offices call (416) 314-5518 or (1-800-268-1154 - in Ontario)

Quebec
Quebec City - (418) 646-4636 or Montreal – (514) 864 3411 or (1-800 561 9749 - Quebec only)
www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/crc/indexanglais.shtml

New Brunswick
 (506) 684-7901 or (1-888 762 8600 - NB only) www.gnb.ca/0394

Nova Scotia

(902) 496 7008 or (902) 468 9700 (Blue Cross) or (800 563 8880 Nova Scotia only) www.gov.ns.ca/health

Prince Edward Island
(902) 838-0900 or (1-800-321-5492) www.gov.pe.ca/hss/index.php3

Newfoundland
(709) 292 4000 or (1-800 563 1557 – Public Service Dept - General Info) www.gov.nf.ca/mcp

North West Territories

(867)-777-7400 or  (1-800-661-0830 in the NWT) www.hlthss.gov.nt.ca/content/Publications/Brochures/Benefits/benefits.htm

Yukon Territories

(867) 667-5209 – (1-800-661-0408, within the Yukon) www.hss.gov.yk.ca/forum/index.html

Nunavut Territories

(867)-975-5713 or (1-800 663-5738) www.gov.nu.ca/Nunavut/English/phone/hss.shtml