Testing is available for all who need it but not everyone requires a test. If you develop symptoms, use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool to help determine if you need further assessment or testing for COVID-19. You can complete this assessment for yourself, or on behalf of someone else, if they are unable to.
You can get a COVID-19 test from a physician, nurse practitioner, urgent and primary care centre or at a COVID-19 test collection centre. You can call 8-1-1 to find testing near you. Please visit an emergency department if you are experiencing health conditions that require urgent and emergency care.
Vancouver Coastal Health test collection centres and urgent and primary care centres (UPCC) that offer testing and assessment are listed below. Please be prepared to wait in line. Test collection centres may have faster wait times. To find the wait times for some of our sites, please visit our wait-times website.
Many of our test collection centres are located outdoors. Please be prepared for inclement weather.
429 Alexander Street, Vancouver
(map)Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.)
Walk-in services only
1155 E Broadway, Vancouver. Enter parking lot on 7th Avenue between Keith and Glen Drive.
(map)Daily 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
NOTE: There is no access to the site through the Vancouver Community College.
*Testing available for ages 4+; saline (gargle) test available for children.
Advanced Parking Lot #9075, 700 block W. 33rd Avenue, Entrance off W. 33rd Avenue by Heather St.
(map)Daily 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This site accepts both drive-ups and walk-ins; please do not enter Honoria Conway.
*Testing available for ages 4+.
1145 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
(map)Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Book an appointment by calling 604-216-3138 and leaving a message with the required details as per the phone instructions. You will receive a call back to book your appointment time.
*Testing is available for all ages.
1290 Hornby Street, Vancouver
(map)Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
*Testing available for ages 12+.
Daily 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Walk-up and drive-through services available
*Testing available for ages 4+; saline (gargle) test available for children.
221 West Esplanade, Suite 200, North Vancouver
(map)Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sundays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
*Testing is available for all ages.
820 Gilbert Road (parking lot of the Richmond Tennis Club)
[map]Daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Walk-up and drive-through services available
Testing is available for ages 4+; saline (gargle) test available for children.
For rural locations not listed below, please call your family doctor for guidance on testing locations or visit your nearest hospital.
Rural sites with saline (gargle) test available for children:
38140 Behrner Drive, Squamish
Emergency Department
Seven days a week, 24 hours a day
40456 Government Road, Squamish
Seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
1403 Portage Road
Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
4380 Lorimer Road, Whistler
Pre-screening appointment required. Call 604-210-5911
Monday to Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Seven days a week by appointment
Daily 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
5000 Joyce Avenue, Powell River
Emergency Department
Seven days a week, 24 hours a day
5001 Joyce Avenue, Powell River
Daily from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Emergency Department
88 Waglisla Street, Bella Bella
Seven days a week, 24 hours a day
Emergency Department
1025 Elcho Street, Bella Coola
Seven days a week, 24 hours a day
A full list of assessment and test collection centres in the province can be found by clicking on the image or links below.
For answers to frequently asked questions, click "+" on the questions below.
Anyone with cold, influenza or COVID-like symptoms can now be assessed. Individuals in the following groups should be prioritized for testing:
Residents and staff of long-term care facilities
Individuals requiring admission to hospital or likely to be admitted, such as pregnant individuals near-term, patients on hemodialysis, or cancer patients receiving radiation or chemotherapy.
Health-care workers
Contacts of a known case of COVID-19
Travellers who in the past 14 days returned to BC from outside Canada, or from an area with higher infection rates within Canada
Residents of remote, isolated, or Indigenous communities
People living in congregate settings such as work-camps, correctional facilities, shelters, group homes, assisted living and seniors' residences
People who are homeless or have unstable housing
Essential service providers, such as first responders
If you need help determining if you need further assessment or testing, visit the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool or speak with your health-care provider. To find out where you can get tested in the province, visit the collection centre finder:
COVID-19 testing is not recommended for individuals without symptoms.
If you were tested for COVID-19, you will be sent home to self-isolate until the results are provided to you. Visit the self-isolate page for details.
If your result is positive for COVID-19, you will be contacted by Public Health.
Get your negative results online, by text, or by phone through one of the services below.
Access COVID-19 test results via my ehealth
Outpatient COVID-19 test results from most areas of the province are available via my my ehealth, a fast and secure method to receive your test results if you are aged 16 or older.
Patients need to provide a Personal Health Number (PHN) at the clinic or collection centre where their test is being done for results to be accessed via my ehealth.
My ehealth may not be available at all locations on Vancouver Island and in the Interior Health region. You must be 16 years of age or older to register for an account.
Get results by text message from the BCCDC
Go to the BCCDC website to sign up for text results. Parents can also use this service for their children. You will receive your negative test result as soon as it is available, day or night.
By registering for this service once, you will receive your negative result by text any time that you test for COVID-19 in the future. However, if you registered to receive a text message prior to October 15, 2020, you will need to register again to receive future COVID-19 results by text message.
Personal information you provide will only be used to verify and share test results with you. For more information about this service, please contact the BCCDC Negative Results Hotline at 1-833-707-2792.
Get results by phone
The BCCDC COVID-19 Negative Results line (1-833-707-2792) is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week.
If you are sick but test negative for COVID-19, stay home until your symptoms resolve and you are well enough to return to your usual activities.
Even if you have tested negative, there may be situations where you still have to self-isolate for 14 days:
Those exposed to a case of COVID-19 must self-isolate for 14 days from your last contact with a case of COVID-19 even if you test negative.
International travellers returning to Canada must continue self-isolate for 14 days from the day you landed back in Canada even if you test negative.
Health care providers check with your employer about self-isolation following a negative test and report any symptoms. Workplaces may have different return to work policies after a negative COVID-19 test.
If you develop new symptoms following a negative test, seek advice from your physician. You may need to get tested again.
Guidelines for COVID-19 testing in BC are based on changing epidemiology, testing capacity, and our evolving understanding of test sensitivity in clinical settings.
COVID-19 testing of people without symptoms is not publicly funded for the purpose of travel, work or school and will not be provided at COVID-19 Assessment Centres. Testing is not recommended for individuals without symptoms.
Visit our assessment for travel page for more information.
Other questions?
Visit our FAQ section.