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Relocation Resources

Making the transition to a new job and a new community can often be overwhelming, but at the same time exciting. Ontario Tech University and the Region of Durham have much to offer. As you start your journey with us, we hope you will find everything you need to get started in making the right connections with services and facilities that meet your individual needs and those of your family.

Healthcare

  • OHIP - Ontario Health Insurance Plan
    Eligibility for OHIP:Ontario residents are eligible for provincially funded health coverage (OHIP). To be eligible for Ontario health coverage (OHIP) you must meet all of the following criteria: 
    • Be a Canadian citizen or have immigration status as set out in Ontario's Health Insurance Act.
    • Make your permanent and principal home in Ontario.
    • Be physically present in Ontario 153 days in any 12-month period. 
    OHIP coverage normally becomes effective three months after the date you establish residency in Ontario.
    New or returning Ontario residents:
    If you are a newcomer to Ontario, or a former resident returning here to live after being out of the country for more than seven months, the waiting period begins on the date you establish or re-establish residence in Ontario. If you are an eligible resident moving to Ontario from another part of Canada, the health insurance of your former province/territory will cover you for up to three months.
    New and returning residents are required to purchase private health insurance in case you become ill during the OHIP waiting period (see UHIP). 
    To register for OHIP:
    • Go in person to the nearest Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care office:
      Mailing address: 
      Executive Tower, Oshawa Centre 
      419 King Street West, Suite 401 
      Oshawa, Ontario L1J 7J2
      Office hours: 
      • Monday through Friday
        8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
      • Thursday 
        5 to 7 p.m. (by appointment only)
        Call 1.888.376.5197 for appointments
    • Complete a Registration for Ontario Health Coverage form. You can download the Registration for Ontario Health Coverage form at the website of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
    • Provide the necessary original documents
  • UHIP - University Health Insurance Plan
    UHIP - University Health Insurance Plan 

    UOIT is a participating university in the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP). UHIP was created to offer affordable insurance to pay the cost of the hospital and medical services that you and your family might need during the waiting period for OHIP.
  • Extended Health Benefit Plan
    Extended Health Benefit Plan

    The Extended Health Benefit Plan features comprehensive medical, dental, disability and insurance coverage, along with a health care expense account.
  • Accessing Medical Care

    Hospital/Emergency Care

    Urgent Care

    • If your situation is less serious and you can wait for medical help, please consider these urgent care options.

    Virtual Care 

    1. Health811: Connect with a Registered Nurse day or night for free, secure and confidential health advice.
    2. East Region Virtual Care Clinic:  Access timely virtual care appointments across Ontario Health’s East Region (Pickering to Ottawa and Kingston to Pembroke).
    3. Durham Doctors House Call Service: Provides doctor house calls for people who are unable to leave their homes or their family doctor isn’t available.  The service is free with an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card.

    Finding a Doctor

    Health Care Connect
    • This Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) program matches people who don't have a regular family health care provider with physicians and nurse practitioners in their community who are accepting new patients.
    • To register for this program, call 1-800-445-1822, or visit the MOHLTC website for more information.
    College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO)
    1.  Go to Doctor Search
    2. Choose "Advanced Search" to find a doctor near you (by city/town or postal code)
    3. You can also identify other search parameters such as Family Doctors or Specialists, and/or Language Spoken.
    4. Contact the doctor and Ask if they are accepting new patients.

    Campus Health and Wellness Centre

    Lumino Health

Preparing to move

Transportation

  • Local transit
    Durham Region Transit (DRT) has a regionwide transit system, providing faster, easier access to municipalities within the region and key locations including Ontario Tech University, hospitals and shopping centres. DRT also provides easy access to GO bus and train service (with daily service to Toronto), Greyhound bus service, and VIA Rail passenger and commuter trains. Certain weekday GO trains can take you from Oshawa to downtown Toronto in only 45 minutes. From Union Station it's a short walk to the Air Canada Centre, Rogers Centre, the Hummingbird Centre, the Eaton Centre as well as hundreds of shops, restaurants and clubs.
  • Driver's license information
    If you are a new resident in Ontario and have a valid driver's licence from another province, state or country, you can use it for up to 60 days after you move to Ontario. If you want to keep driving in Ontario, you must get an Ontario driver's licence. New Ontario residents have 30 days before they have to register their vehicles and get Ontario licence plates and vehicle permit.

Childcare

Schooling options

Employment support for spouses/partners

  • External job boards
    • CareerEdge.ca
      An innovative program designed to help internationally qualified professionals obtain Canadian experience through paid internships.
    • CharityVillage.com
      This website carries job vacancies for Canada's non-profit organizations.
    • Monster.ca
      This Canadian website advertises Canada-wide job opportunities.
    • Neuvoo.ca
      A job search engine that indexes jobs directly for free from companies' career websites, placement agencies and job boards.
    • Workopolis.com
      This website carries employment opportunities as advertised by the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail daily newspapers (widely used by job seekers and employers).
  • Ontario Tech employment opportunities
    This link takes you to current employment opportunities at Ontario Tech.