Links to government and non-governmental organizations provincially, nationally and internationally that can help you to “Live a Healthy Life” while managing chronic health conditions.
Information | Disease Specific Organizations | Adaptive Equipment | Healthy Lifestyle | Healthy Eating | Advocacy | Self-Help | Other Government Resources
INFORMATION
BC 211
211 helps link people rapidly and easily to the services they need, avoiding the stress and confusion of searching for programs and services. Certified Information and Referral Specialists help callers to determine their needs and options.
Canadian Men's Health Foundation
A national, registered charity providing information, tools, and motivation for men and their families to live healthier.
FETCH (For Everything That's Community Health)
This online resource helps patients and healthcare providers find information on social and health resources within their community, including counselling, crisis intervention, employment assistance, and agencies supporting various medical conditions.
Find Support BC
Connects families of persons with disabilities with resources available to them. Their database generates a list of resources based on age, disability, region and city in BC.
HealthLink BC
24/7 access to non-emergency health information and services. Translation services are available in over 130 languages on request. Speak with a nurse about your symptoms, consult a pharmacist about your medication questions, or get healthy eating advice from a dietitian. You can also find the health services and resources you need closest to you. You can call 8-1-1.
Immunize BC
Evidence-based immunization information and tools for B.C. residents.
John Rudy Health Resource Centre Association
This non-profit association provides a health library, one-to-one support and health workshops for residents of Vernon, BC.
Office of the Seniors Advocate
Seniors who have issues accessing health-care services or with the health care they received can call the Office of the Seniors Advocate to obtain timely resolution of problems. This toll-free phone line is available Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Pacific Regional Centre for Healthy Aging
A B.C.-based collaborative network of health authorities, universities, and community organizations.
QMUNITY - BC's Queer, Trans & Two-Spirited Resource Centre
A non-profit organization based in Vancouver, BC, that works to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives. They provide a safer space for LGBTQ2SAI+ people and their allies to fully self-express while feeling welcome and included.
RXHelp
RxHelp's mission is to provide Canadian healthcare consumers access to brand-name pharmaceutical manufacturers' "Patient Assistance Programs." Many brand-name pharmaceutical manufacturers run patient payment assistance programs to provide significant savings on brand-name prescription medicines. RxHelp.ca connects Canadian patients to these pharmaceutical manufacturers' payment assistance programs FREE of charge.
DISEASE-SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS
Alzheimer Society of BC
The Arthritis Society
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Society of British Columbia
BC Brain Wellness Program
BC Cancer
BC Lupus Society
Borderline Personal Disorder Society of BC
Canadian Cancer Society
Celiac Canada
Canadian Digestive Health Foundation
Canadian Hemochromatosis Society
Canadian Liver Foundation
Canadian Lung Association
CanLyme - Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation
Canadian Mental Health Association BC
Canadian Spondyloarthritis Association (CSA)
Diabetes Canada
Heart & Stroke™
Huntington Society of Canada
JointHealth
HeretoHelp
A website of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Substance Use Information.
InspireHealth - Supportive Cancer Care
Provides, for free, an extensive selection of classes, workshops and programs and can receive individual support from our clinical team of supportive care physicians, counsellors, dietitians, and exercise therapists.
MS Canada (Multiple Sclerosis)
Muscular Dystrophy Canada
Pain BC™
Parkinson Society British Columbia
PARC - Promoting Awareness of RSDS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) and CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) in Canada
Spinal Cord Injury BC
Stroke Recovery Association
T2D Network
A collaborative group of healthcare professionals, researchers, organizations, and institutions working together to address T2D and overcome gaps in care and services in the community.
ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT
Red Cross Health Equipment Loans
The Canadian Red Cross Health Equipment Loan Program (HELP) provides Canadians with short-term health equipment loans on a donation basis.
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Active Aging Canada
Active Aging Canada's mission is to support adult Canadians' lifelong, healthy, active aging through participation, education, research, and promotion.
Choose to Move
In this free program, you work one-on-one with a trained activity coach to create a tailor-made physical activity plan to meet your health and fitness goals. You choose activities that you know you will enjoy and can do! Activities can range from organized fitness classes (e.g., Tai Chi, yoga) to individual activities you do on your schedule (e.g., gardening, walking).
Community Virtual Care Program - Island Health
Community Virtual Care is a free Island Health program that uses remote patient monitoring, virtual visits, and telephone calls to support clients living with chronic diseases from the comfort of their homes. Nurses provide 1:1 support to help you to improve your knowledge of your chronic disease and your ability to manage your health. Clients are typically on the program for about 90 days.
Government of Canada - Health
It provides information on recalls and advisories, healthy living initiatives, and the Healthy Living Guides (Canada Food Guide and Physical Activity Guide).
interCultural Online Network (iCON)
University of British Columbia's iCON offers in-person and technology-supported multicultural community education on health literacy and chronic disease management. Culturally appropriate materials are presented by health care providers in the patients’ first language, mostly for Chinese and South Asian people.
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology
Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines
Sources Community Resource Centres
A community-based non-profit society offering various social wellness programs and services through 20 locations, including Community Resource Centres, that are continually expanding to meet individual and community needs.
HEALTHY EATING
Dietitians of Canada
Dietitians of Canada's Unlockfood.ca website is a bilingual award-winning website where you will find information on nutrition, food and healthy eating, recipes, videos and interactive healthy eating tools.
Canada's Food Guide
SUPPORT IN THE HOME
Better at Home
United Way’s Better at Home program helps BC’s older adults continue living independently in their own homes by
providing simple, non-medical home support services. Its unique ‘seniors planning for seniors’ approach means
older adults contribute to their local program's design, operation, and evaluation.
ADVOCACY
BC Rural Health Network
The Network aims to promote and support a health services system that improves and sustains the health and well-being of residents of rural communities across British Columbia.
Family Caregivers of BC
A provincial, not-for-profit organization that proudly and compassionately supports over one million people in British Columbia who provide physical and/or emotional care to a family member, friend, or neighbour.
Disability Alliance BC
March of Dimes Canada
A charitable organization with a mission to be Canada’s leading service provider, resource and advocate, empowering people with disabilities to live and thrive in communities nationwide. They offer several programs and services.
PovNet
The organization connects poverty and family law advocates and pro bono lawyers across British Columbia working on issues like housing, income, workers’ rights, Indigenous legal issues, newcomers to Canada, and more.
Seniors First BC
Provides the Seniors Abuse Information Line (SAIL), a province-wide confidential phone line that is a safe place for older adults and for those who care about them to talk to a trained intake worker about abuse or mistreatment, receive information and support about issues that impact the health and well being of an older adult. Language interpretation available 9 am to 4 pm weekdays.
Phone: 604-437-1940 or toll-free 1-866-437-1940 weekdays 8 am to 8 pm and weekends 10 am to 5:30 pm excluding statutory holidays.
SELF-HELP
PeerNet BC
Crisis Centre BC
The Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC (Crisis Centre) is a non-profit, volunteer organization committed to helping people help themselves and others deal with crises. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, call 1-800-784-2433 or 1-800-SUICIDE or call your local crisis centre If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide.
OTHER GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
PreparedBC Emergency Guides and Resources
Provides downloadable guides and fill-in-the-blank plans to help you prepare for emergencies, including "Resources for People with Disabilities."
Public Health Agency of Canada
The Government of Canada website's home page lists health services and information.
Public Health Agency of Canada – Aging & Seniors
The Division of Aging and Seniors (DAS) provides federal leadership on seniors' public health issues to optimize healthy aging. As such, DAS is the focal point for information and the centre of expertise in the area. The Division strives to influence policy development, expand and transfer the knowledge base, and engage stakeholders on matters concerning healthy aging, including preventing and controlling disease and injury in older adult life.
Veterans Affairs
If you are a current or former member of the CAF or RCMP, or a family member, the Government of Canada Veterans Affairs has targeted services and benefits to improve your well-being.
VictimLink BC
VictimLinkBC is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual telephone service available across B.C. and the Yukon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-563-0808. It provides information and referral services to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence, including victims of human trafficking exploited for labour or sexual services.
DISCLAIMER: This list is not exhaustive, and the University of Victoria does not endorse any of the resources above as most effective. Please share with us any other resources that might be considered for inclusion by emailing selfmgmt@uvic.ca.
Last updated: January 2025