Free Rides to Off-Island Appointments

Have a non-emergency appointment off Galiano? Island Health offers a free taxi service that meets you at Swartz Bay and takes you to your appointment and back, so you can focus on your care, not on how to get there.

How It Works

Your ride will be waiting at the Swartz Bay terminal when your ferry arrives. It takes you to your appointment, then waits for you afterwards and brings you back to the terminal for your ferry home.

Bringing someone along? If you need someone to go with you, they ride for free too. (Island Health doesn’t provide a companion, so you’ll need to arrange one yourself.)

Who It’s For

Galiano residents with a non-emergency appointment at an Island Health facility or affiliate site, such as a specialist visit or a test at a hospital or Island Health clinic.

Who It’s Not For

Eye doctor visits, dental check-ups and other services outside Island Health are not covered.

How to Book

Call 1-844-940-6617 or email Info.Patient.Transportation@islandhealth.ca at least 2–3 days before your appointment. There’s no paperwork or forms to fill out.

You can call to book any day of the week. Bookings are processed Monday to Friday, so if you call on a weekend for an appointment early in the week, it will usually be fine, but it can’t be guaranteed. Calling earlier is always safer.

Have these details ready:

• Appointment date and time
• Type of appointment
• Estimated appointment length
• Your doctor’s name
• Your ferry’s arrival time at Swartz Bay

Not an Island Health appointment? Other programs may help, including TAP BC, the BC Family Residence Program, Medical Transportation (gov.bc.ca), and BC Cancer transportation and lodging. Island Health can help you figure out which applies.