Prescription renewal and sick notes at a Toronto walk-in clinic

You can get a prescription renewed at our Toronto walk-in clinic without a family doctor. Renewals are done at walk-in, including for controlled medications, at the physician's discretion. With OHIP, UHIP, GuardMe or other insurance we can bill, the renewal visit costs you nothing; if a fee would apply, we tell you first. Sick notes (doctor's notes for work) are also available, but they aren't covered by OHIP, so a fee applies. Call (416) 681-0444 for the current fee.

This page is not medical advice. Whether a prescription is renewed, changed or stopped is a clinical decision made at the visit. Don't stop or change a medication on your own. For anything life- or limb-threatening, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Toronto Western Hospital is directly across the street.

If your prescription has run out of refills and you don't have a family doctor, or yours isn't available, a walk-in visit is one way to get it renewed. No appointment is needed. Walk-in registration runs Monday and Thursday 9:30 am – 12:00 pm · 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm; Tuesday and Saturday, with Dr. Grewal 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.

A renewal isn't automatic. The physician seeing you hasn't treated you before, so they'll want to understand why you take the medication, how it's working and whether anything has changed. Depending on what they find, they may renew it as is, renew it for a shorter time, suggest a change, or recommend follow-up such as blood work or a visit with a regular doctor.

Controlled medications can be renewed at walk-in at the physician's discretion. Because these medications need closer review, the doctor may need to look at your history, your current medication list and your previous prescriber's information before deciding. A renewal is not guaranteed, and the doctor may decide that a follow-up with your regular prescriber is the safer route.

Coming prepared makes that review faster and gives the physician what they need to make a decision.

• Your Ontario health card (or UHIP or GuardMe details).
• Your medication bottles or packaging, or an up-to-date list of everything you take, including doses.
• The name and contact details of the doctor or nurse practitioner who last prescribed it, if you have them.
• Any recent test results or hospital papers related to the medication.

No health card? Self-pay applies. Call (416) 681-0444 for the current fee.

Possibly. The Ontario government says pharmacists can extend certain prescriptions for chronic conditions until your next doctor's appointment. Not every medication qualifies, so ask your pharmacist first. A pharmacy is on site in the same building (a separate business).

We can provide a sick note at a walk-in or booked visit. In Ontario, sick notes for work are an uninsured service: OHIP doesn't pay for them, so a fee applies. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario lists sick notes for work among the most common uninsured services and says physicians must tell you the cost before providing the service. Call (416) 681-0444 for the current fee.

A note reflects what the physician can assess at the visit, so it's best to come in while you're unwell rather than afterward.

Maybe not. Under Ontario's Employment Standards Act, most employees can take up to three days of unpaid, job-protected sick leave each calendar year. Since October 28, 2024, the province says employers can't require a certificate from a qualified health practitioner as evidence for that leave. They can still ask for other evidence that is reasonable in the circumstances.

That rule covers only proof of ESA sick leave. Employers can still ask for a medical note for other purposes, and some workplaces, schools and insurers have their own forms. If you're not sure, check with your employer before you pay for a note.

If you need the same medication renewed again and again, or you're managing a long-term condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes, a family doctor who keeps your file is usually a better fit than repeat walk-in visits. Dr. Harris Hashim, MD, CCFP, is accepting new patients. See how to enrol as a new patient and chronic disease management.

For hours, location and what a walk-in visit covers, see our Toronto walk-in clinic page. If you don't have a health card, see walk-in care without a health card.

Walk in during walk-in hours, or book an appointment through the online patient portal or by calling (416) 681-0444. We're at 750 Dundas St W #11, Toronto, ON M6J 3S3 (Bathurst entrance), across from Toronto Western Hospital, with the 505 Dundas streetcar stopping at the door.

Eligibility and funding rules change. The guidance this page draws on is published by:

• CPSO: Uninsured Services: Billing and Block Fees, patient information
• Ontario: Your guide to the Employment Standards Act, Sick leave
• Ontario: Your health (pharmacists and prescriptions)