In a release from the ministry of health on Feb. 9, the Ontario government announced it is extending the requirement to renew health cards until Sept. 30, 2022.
“In response to the pandemic, our government extended the renewal requirements for Ontario health cards,” said Christine Elliott, deputy premier and minister of health. “While the majority of Ontarians have continued to renew their documents throughout the pandemic, we are committed to ensuring all Ontarians have the opportunity to renew while continuing to access the care they need, when they need it.”
Ontarians will continue to be able to use their expired health card, including a red and white health card, to access insured health care services. Health care providers can continue to accept expired health cards following the previous Feb. 28, 2022 deadline.
To make it easier and more convenient for Ontarians to renew health cards online, ServiceOntario is taking steps to enable online health card renewal using Ontario Photo Cards in the coming months.
An individual who faces difficulties renewing their health card, for whatever reason, should contact ServiceOntario at 1-866-532-3161 (TTY : 1-800-387-5559) to inquire about options for their specific situation.