BC has the longest walk-in clinic wait times in Western Canada. Get a physician-reviewed sick note delivered to your email same day, no waiting room, no travel.
Under BC's Employment Standards Act, employees are entitled to 5 paid sick days and 3 unpaid sick days per year. Employers may request medical documentation for absences, particularly those exceeding 3 consecutive days. MedLetter provides physician-reviewed documentation that meets these requirements.
Many BC walk-in clinics have closed or reduced hours. MedLetter provides reliable access to documentation without depending on clinic availability.
From Vancouver Island to the Okanagan to the Kootenays, same service, same price, same speed regardless of location.
MedLetter is a flat-fee service. No MSP billing complications, no surprise charges, no referral needed.
BC emergency rooms average 4-8 hour waits. Don't use the ER for a sick note, use MedLetter instead.
Select Your Service: Choose 'Sick Note' and tell us about your situation. Takes 5 minutes.
Physician Review: A CPSBC-registered physician reviews your request. If clinically appropriate, your note is issued. If more information is needed, the physician may request a brief assessment.
Receive Your Note: Your signed sick note is delivered to your email same day (standard) or 1-3 hours (priority, when clinically appropriate).
British Columbia made history in 2022 by becoming one of the first provinces to legislate paid sick leave. Under the BC Employment Standards Act, employees are entitled to 5 paid sick days and 3 additional unpaid sick days per year after 90 days of employment. This is among the most generous sick leave provisions in Canada, but it comes with documentation requirements that many workers find challenging to meet.
BC employers may request "reasonably sufficient proof" of illness for any sick day, paid or unpaid. While the Employment Standards Branch has clarified that employers should not routinely demand medical certificates for every absence, they retain the right to request documentation when they have reasonable grounds. In practice, many BC employers (particularly in construction, healthcare, and resource industries) require notes for absences exceeding 2-3 days, or when patterns of absence emerge.
The challenge for BC workers is that obtaining this documentation is increasingly difficult. BC's walk-in clinic network has contracted significantly since 2020, with many clinics closing permanently or reducing hours. MedLetter provides same-day CPSBC-physician-reviewed documentation that satisfies BC employer requirements without the 3-5 hour walk-in clinic wait that has become standard in Metro Vancouver.
British Columbia faces a healthcare access crisis that is among the worst in Canada. Approximately 900,000 British Columbians, nearly 1 in 6 residents, do not have a family doctor. The BC College of Family Physicians reports that the province needs an additional 1,000 family physicians to meet current demand. The shortage is most acute in Northern BC (Prince George, Terrace, Prince Rupert), the Interior (Kamloops, Penticton), and Vancouver Island (outside Victoria).
Metro Vancouver's walk-in clinic situation has deteriorated dramatically. Dozens of clinics have closed since 2020, and those remaining face overwhelming demand. It is common for Vancouver-area walk-in clinics to reach capacity within 1-2 hours of opening, turning away patients for the rest of the day. The Urgent and Primary Care Centres (UPCCs) that the province opened as alternatives also face multi-hour waits and limited capacity.
For BC workers without a family doctor, which includes a disproportionate number of younger workers, newcomers, and those in fast-growing communities like Surrey, Langley, and Abbotsford, getting a sick note can mean losing an entire day of work to sit in a clinic. MedLetter eliminates this barrier by providing physician documentation same day, accessible from anywhere in BC, whether you're in a Vancouver condo or a remote forestry camp in the Interior.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) regulates all medical practice in the province, including virtual care. CPSBC's Practice Standard on Virtual Care explicitly permits physicians to provide medical services, including documentation, through virtual means when the encounter meets the standard of care. There is no CPSBC requirement that sick notes must result from an in-person physical examination.
BC has been a leader in virtual care infrastructure. The province permanently funds virtual consultations through the Medical Services Plan (MSP), and the BC Virtual Care Strategy positions telehealth as a core component of the provincial health system. Services like BC's 811 HealthLink and the province's Virtual Doctor of the Day program demonstrate government acceptance of virtual care delivery. MedLetter operates within this established framework.
Every MedLetter note issued for BC residents is reviewed by a physician holding an active licence with the CPSBC. Our physicians follow CPSBC standards for virtual encounters, including appropriate clinical assessment, documentation, and follow-up when needed. Your health information is protected under BC's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and the federal PIPEDA, ensuring your medical details remain confidential between you and the reviewing physician.
British Columbia's diverse economy creates documentation needs across many sectors. The tech industry (Amazon Vancouver, Microsoft, SAP, Electronic Arts, Hootsuite), film and television production (Vancouver is "Hollywood North" with 60,000+ industry workers), forestry and mining (Canfor, West Fraser, Teck Resources), and the port/logistics sector (Port of Vancouver, CN Rail, CP Rail) all have attendance policies requiring medical documentation. MedLetter's CPSBC-physician-issued notes are accepted by BC employers.
BC's post-secondary institutions, UBC, SFU, University of Victoria, BCIT, Langara, Douglas College, Kwantlen, Thompson Rivers, UNBC, and all other public institutions, accept telehealth-issued medical documentation for exam deferrals, assignment extensions, and academic accommodations. UBC alone has 70,000+ students; during exam season, campus-area clinics are overwhelmed. MedLetter provides same-day documentation without competing for limited clinic appointments.
BC's tourism and hospitality sector (Whistler Blackcomb, Tourism Vancouver, BC Ferries), healthcare system (Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health, Interior Health, Island Health, Northern Health), and public sector (BC Public Service, City of Vancouver, TransLink, BC Hydro, ICBC) all accept physician documentation regardless of whether it was issued through virtual or in-person care. Workers on Vancouver Island, in the Okanagan, in the Kootenays, and in Northern BC get the same access as Metro Vancouver residents.
Yes. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) recognizes virtual care as a legitimate form of medical practice. A sick note issued by a CPSBC-registered physician through telemedicine is legally valid.
No. BC employers cannot discriminate based on how medical documentation was obtained. Under BC employment law, a note from a licensed physician is valid regardless of whether the consultation was virtual or in-person.
BC's Employment Standards Act provides 5 paid and 3 unpaid sick days annually. Employers may request documentation, particularly for absences over 3 days. Company policies vary, check your employment contract.
MedLetter charges $49 for a standard sick note. This is comparable to uninsured clinic visits and saves you hours of wait time.
Yes. MedLetter serves all of BC including Victoria, Nanaimo, Courtenay, Campbell River, and every community on Vancouver Island.
Yes. Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon, Kamloops, all Okanagan and Interior communities are fully served by MedLetter.
MedLetter delivers doctor notes to British Columbians anywhere in the province, Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Victoria, Richmond, Kelowna, and every community in between. Submit your request online in 2 minutes and receive your physician-signed doctor note the same day. No clinic visit required.
Yes. MedLetter provides same-day medical certificates across British Columbia. Standard delivery is within 9 hours, Priority is under 4.5 hours, and Express is under 2 hours. Available 24/7 including weekends when walk-in clinics are closed.
Yes. MedLetter operates 7 days a week including weekends and holidays. When BC walk-in clinics are closed on Saturday or Sunday, we are still available. Most weekend requests are delivered same day.
Absolutely. Over 900,000 British Columbians lack a family doctor. MedLetter was built for this situation, no family doctor, no referral, no BC Services Card required. Our CPSBC-registered physicians can issue documentation directly.
MedLetter provides return-to-work notes for $49 across BC. If your employer requires medical clearance to resume duties, our physician can assess your readiness and issue official documentation same day. Accepted by BC employers.
MedLetter provides stress leave notes for $79 across British Columbia. If work-related stress or burnout is affecting your ability to work, our physician can assess your situation and provide documentation recommending time off. No in-person visit needed.
New sick-note requests are temporarily paused while we review our service. We are not accepting new orders at this time.