In B.C., you are required to pay monthly premiums for Medical Service Plan (MSP) coverage. They are based on family size and income.
The following comes from the BC Ministry of Health Services, see the BC government's MSP Premiums page for more information.
Location
Eligibility
According to the Ministry of health, assistance with the payment of premiums is available to Canadian citizens or holders of permanent resident status (landed immigrants) who have held that status and been resident in Canada for the past 12 consecutive months.
Regular Premium Assistance
Regular premium assistance offers subsidies ranging from 20 to 100 per cent, based on an individual's net income (or a couple's combined net income) for the preceding tax year, less deductions for age, family size and disability.
Temporary Premium Assistance
Temporary Premium Assistance (TPA) provides a short term period of MSP premium waver for qualifying individuals and families. It is designed to assist individuals and families who are not able to pay premiums due to sudden financial hardship for which they could not reasonably have budgeted.
http://www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/premium.html#assistance
