Newcomer Journey through Local Healthcare
We engaged in a series of community-based dialogues, presentations, and workshops, each designed to share knowledge and amplify the lived experiences of those navigating a complex and often unwelcoming system.
We also conducted multiple in-person and online surveys to broaden our understanding and reach more voices. Guided by a dedicated Newcomer Advisory Committee—Neha Sharma, Tanmay Shaha, Ramya Reddy, Gabriela Rivera Monterrosa, and Mohit Verma—we collected and shaped diverse healthcare experiences into composite stories. This method protects individual privacy while drawing out common themes and systemic insights.
The Newcomer Advisory Committee
The Newcomer Advisory Committee
This is what we learned about newcomer experiences navigating the local healthcare system in Greater Victoria:
Access to Primary and Ongoing Care
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Lack of family doctors: Several participants did not have a general practitioner (GP), making continuity of care difficult.
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Long wait times for specialists and emergency care: Some reported waiting over a year for specialist care and routinely spending 5–6 hours in emergency rooms.
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Over-reliance on walk-in clinics and virtual care: Many resorted to these options as substitutes for consistent, long-term care but found them inadequate.
Economic and Employment Barriers
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Unpaid time off work to attend appointments: Some respondents had to take full days off work to access care, causing financial strain.
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Lack of extended health benefits: Most participants did not have benefits through work, making dental and mental health care inaccessible.
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High cost of living in Victoria: Even those with decent salaries found it hard to afford healthcare-related expenses.
Language and Communication Barriers
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Difficulty understanding or being understood: Some participants struggled with English, leading to challenges in navigating care or expressing symptoms.
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Accent bias: Many reported experienced feeling misunderstood or dismissed due to their accents, affecting both healthcare and employment interactions.
Lack of System Navigation Support
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Unfamiliarity with health services and systems: Many participants didn’t know how to access HealthLink, MyHealth, LifeLabs, or other core services.
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Limited awareness of interpretation services: Some participants were aware of Provincial Language Services but had never used them due to confusion or lack of guidance.
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Digital literacy gaps: Some had beginner digital skills or lacked access to devices, limiting their ability to use virtual services.
Immigration and Legal Status-Related Fears
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Undocumented status blocking access: At least one respondent, who is out-of-status, avoided seeking care entirely for fear of deportation or cost.
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Confusion about eligibility: Some participants weren’t sure what services they could access and under what conditions.
Emotional and Mental Health Impacts
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Feeling unseen or dismissed: A recurring theme was a sense of invisibility in the healthcare system, especially for newcomers of colour.
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Delayed or avoided mental health care: Even when mental health support was needed participants didn’t know where to start or couldn’t afford it.
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Impact of isolation and trauma: One respondent, for example, struggled with depression and possible PTSD, compounded by lack of family support and service access.
Alternative Strategies and Coping Mechanisms
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Use of home remedies, advice from friends, and “Dr. Google”: Many substituted medical care with informal or traditional methods.
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Enduring pain/discomfort: Several participants reported simply enduring symptoms when access felt out of reach.
The stories paint a sobering picture of a fragmented, overburdened healthcare system that is not meeting the needs of newcomers, especially those with low incomes, limited English, or precarious status. Even those with some stability or access felt the system was deeply inadequate, inconsistent, or emotionally exhausting.
These challenges are not just administrative, they directly impact health outcomes, trust in institutions, and a person’s sense of safety and belonging in Canada.
The findings were formally shared with the Public Health Agency of Canada and are now published on rephere.ca, where they remain publicly accessible. These narratives have sparked honest conversations about how our systems can better serve diverse communities. Thank you to illustrator Samantha Wood-Gaines, who brought the stories to life through visual characterizations. View the composite narratives here:
Funded through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Intersectoral Action Fund, this project contributed to a national effort to understand and address pandemic and post-pandemic healthcare realities. Above all, it affirmed that when newcomers are centred and heard, real pathways to more equitable care begin to emerge.
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