I just found this, which may be of use.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/compl...iu-uif-eng.php

5.2.3 Visitors to Canada
Visitors to Canada may bring into Canada, on their person:

A single course of treatment or a 90-day supply based on the directions for use, whichever is less, of a health product.

The health product must be for the individual’s own personal use, for the use of a person for whom they are responsible and with whom they are travelling, or for use on an animal for which they are responsible and with whom they are travelling.

The health product must be shipped/carried in one of the following:

Hospital or pharmacy dispensed packaging;
Original retail packaging; or
have the original label affixed to it which clearly indicates what the health product is and what it contains.

Should a Visitor’s stay in Canada exceeds the supply of medication imported at the time of their arrival to Canada, the Visitor may import an additional single unit, single course of treatment or a 90-day supply based on the directions for use, whichever is less, of a health product. When a health product is mailed to a Visitor, the health product should be accompanied by some form of documentation indicating that the health product is destined to a Visitor and/or the Visitor should be prepared to provide documentation/written evidence (stamped passport, student/work visa, letter from an employer/university etc) that they are a Visitor to Canada when requested.

Visitors are advised that the exporting country may also have additional restrictions on what may be exported to Canada. Visitors are advised to check with their local authorities before leaving and to plan accordingly.

Visitors are responsible for ensuring that any remaining health products they imported into Canada but have not consumed during their stay are either safely disposed of or exported from Canada by them when they leave the country.

You would need to ensure that the drug(s) you take are not on this list, as there are restrictions.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/substan...ageurs-eng.php

Full details can be found here: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/compl..._tc-tm-eng.php

schedule F can be found here: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/C.R.C....ramesView.html

You could arrange for your drugs to be collected on your behalf from your local (UK) pharmacy and mailed to you, provided you submit proof of temporary residency - I would suggest a photocopy of the prescription be kept with it too. If you bring 90 days supply with you and get another one mailed, it will cover you for 6 months in total.... and you could always try a 3rd!

I have to take heart medication of which are made up of 6 different drugs. I am getting three months to take with me and hoping the job I secure comes with a decent medical plan.

Most extended healthcare plans have a 3 month qualifying period after hiring.

It depends on the province, different provinces have different lists of approved drugs and also the way the prescription drug plan works varies.

In Alberta how it works is you to your GP, get the prescription and he will allow x refills or refills up to a certain date (usually one or two years ahead for chronic conditions).

Then you go to the drug store and pay for the prescription. If you have a prescription drug plan, either through a group plan offered by your employer or a non-group plan you pay for yourself, then you get discounts. In Alberta the non-group plan currently costs $762 a year. Per prescription you're covered for any cost over $25 for anything that is on the approved list, and this is the catch because a lot of fairly common stuff is not on the approved list, I suggest you check with AHCIP or OHIP or whomever to find out if it is.

The way my prescriptions work, of the five things I'm prescribed (which are fairly ordinary) only one is covered and because they keep jacking up the cost of the non-group plan I only save a small amount of money.

I don't get too wound up about it because the reality is that taxes are far lower in Alberta than in the UK so I clearly save money, although I have moaned to my MLA about the plan coverage costs going up so rapidly.

ABC only pays after you buy the drugs so it wouldn't matter to them. I have repeat prescriptions with a two-year expiry on them.

But ABC will not allow you to receive more than a 3 months supply at any one time. I think that that was what Steve was talking about.

Does anybody have any tips about where to get cheaper insulin? I have looked online and it seems to be very pricey, and unfortunately I have 2 different sorts

It's a while since I paid in full for it but Humulin was about $25 a vial while NovoRapid is about $35 a vial.

Not as expensive as some of them.

The cheapest I can find my usual prescription of 10 Lantus pens and 5 Apidra pens is $475. As I take a number of other medications, would I still be able to get insurance with having pre-existing conditions?

As a rule, the provincial plan for residents does not do exclusions, most often neither do employer extended. Travel insurance is completely different, does not usually cover prescription drugs taken regularly.

If you are registered for the BC MSP (need to live here to do that) then register for Fair Pharmacare as well. Also get a pharmacy to check if your meds are covered under the govt. plan, not all are. If there is a reason you can only take one that is not covered, your doctor can apply for a 'special authority' to have it covered.

That's a relief, many thanks for that!

I would not be too relieved until you determine if the drug is covered under your plan. Like I said, not all are.

Are asthma inhalers covered? I use the standard budesonide etc inhalers. I can imagine the cost totting up quite quickly.

By a private or company plan most likely.

By a provincial health care plan like Alberta Health Care no.

The only time drugs are covered by provincial plans is when you are a hospital inpatient.

Depends where you are. In BC we have a means tested scheme 'Fair Pharmacare' After you meet the deductible, the govt picks up 70% then after your max is reached 100%. They don't cover everything though and you have to register for it.