Birth Control Online in Calgary, Alberta

You are seen by a Canadian licensed doctor authorized by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) to care for patients in Alberta.

Health care in Alberta is administered through Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan. TelePlus Care is a private virtual clinic — your flat-fee visit is not billed to AHCIP, and no referral, roster, or wait-list is required.

For free, publicly funded non-urgent health advice in Alberta, you can also call Health Link (811).

Online care is not for emergencies. For severe or rapidly worsening symptoms, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Yes. TelePlus Care connects Calgary residents with a doctor licensed in Alberta for a video or phone consultation. After reviewing your health history and blood pressure and checking for contraindications, the doctor can prescribe the combined pill, progestin-only mini-pill, patch or vaginal ring when it is safe for you, and send it to a pharmacy near you. No referral is needed, and birth control is not a controlled substance.

A video visit suits short-acting hormonal methods: the combined pill, the mini-pill, the patch and the vaginal ring. Anything inserted into the body cannot be done remotely. A hormonal or copper IUD and the contraceptive implant must be placed in person by a trained clinician, such as your family doctor or an Alberta Health Services sexual and reproductive health clinic. The TelePlus Care doctor can explain these options and help you plan next steps.

No, and that is why the doctor assesses you first. Combined estrogen-containing methods are generally avoided for people with a history of blood clots or stroke, migraine with aura, certain heart or liver conditions, or who smoke and are over 35, following Canadian and World Health Organization eligibility guidance. Where estrogen isn't advisable, a progestin-only method may still work. If your history raises concerns, the doctor may recommend in-person care instead.

Not universally. Unlike British Columbia, which introduced free prescription contraception in 2023, Alberta has no province-wide free-contraception program, so the medication cost is generally covered through private or employer insurance, or a government-sponsored drug plan if you're eligible. Many methods are relatively affordable out of pocket. Your TelePlus Care consultation is a private virtual service, so ask about the consultation fee when you book.

Not by video — an IUD or contraceptive implant has to be inserted in person by a trained clinician, so it can't be placed during an online visit. What the doctor can do is discuss whether long-acting reversible contraception suits you and point you toward in-person options in Calgary, including your family physician or an Alberta Health Services sexual and reproductive health clinic. For pills, patches and rings, the video visit is enough.

Emergency contraception works best the sooner you take it. Levonorgestrel (often sold as Plan B) is available without a prescription directly from Alberta pharmacies, so you don't need to wait for an appointment to buy it. If it's after unprotected sex and you're within the effective window, a pharmacist can help you right away. A copper IUD is another highly effective emergency option, but it must be placed in person. TelePlus Care handles ongoing contraception, not same-minute emergencies.

Call 911 or go to a Calgary emergency department — Foothills, Peter Lougheed, Rockyview or South Health Campus — if you have sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, a swollen painful leg, a severe headache, vision changes, or one-sided weakness while on hormonal birth control, as these can signal a clot or stroke. See a clinician in person for heavy unexplained bleeding, pelvic pain, a possible pregnancy, STI testing or a Pap test. For general advice, call Health Link at 811.

No. You don't need a referral or an existing family physician to book with TelePlus Care, which is why many Calgarians between doctors use it for routine contraception. Book directly online or by phone and complete a short health intake. Keep in mind that virtual care complements, rather than replaces, a relationship with a family doctor for ongoing screening like blood-pressure checks, Pap tests and STI testing.

TelePlus Care is a private virtual clinic, so visits are not billed to Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) — you pay a flat visit fee and there is no wait-list or referral needed. Our doctors are licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) to care for patients in Alberta. For publicly insured, non-urgent advice you can also call Health Link (811).

Most Calgary patients can book a same-day or next-day virtual visit with TelePlus Care — no roster, referral, or wait-list required. You connect with a Canadian licensed doctor by phone or secure video from home, and when appropriate a prescription is sent to your preferred Calgary pharmacy.

In Alberta, hormonal contraception (the pill, patch, ring, or injection) requires a prescription, which can be issued by a physician, a nurse practitioner, or a pharmacist who holds Additional Prescribing Authorization. Unlike British Columbia, Alberta does not have a universal free-contraception program, so the cost is generally covered only through private insurance or government-sponsored drug plans for eligible residents. (Source: Alberta College of Pharmacy (Additional Prescribing Authorization).)

Because care is virtual, TelePlus Care serves patients across Alberta, including Calgary, Camrose, Canmore, Chestermere, and Cochrane, and other communities — anywhere in the province with a phone or internet connection.

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