Ontario Hepatitis C Assistance Plan

Overview

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that, if left untreated, can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and even liver cancer. In Ontario, there are approximately 110,000 people who have been infected with hepatitis C, including 35,000 people who do not know they have been infected.

A person infected with hepatitis C through the blood supply in Ontario may be eligible to receive a one-time lump sum payment of $25,000 from The Ontario Hepatitis C Assistance Plan (OHCAP).

Applying for the plan

Eligibility

Submit your new application by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 30, 2026 to be considered.

The plan is available to:

• anyone who may have contracted hepatitis C virus (HCV) through the blood supply in Ontario before January 1, 1986, or between July 2, 1990 to September 28, 1998
• a person who was secondarily infected (secondary) with HCV through a primarily infected spouse, long-term sexual partner, or their mother (vertical transmission during gestation or childbirth). This primarily infected person (primary) must have contracted HCV through the blood supply in Ontario, and must have applied to and received compensation from OHCAP for the secondary to be eligible to apply for compensation through OHCAP
• a legal representative of an estate of an individual who contracted HCV through the Ontario blood supply prior to January 1, 1986, or between July 2, 1990 to September 28, 1998

How to apply

To apply you need to submit the following by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 30, 2026:

• completed and signed applicant and physician forms
• provide a copy of your positive HCV public health laboratory result

Submit the necessary documents by either:

• email: OHCAP@ontario.ca
• mail:
  Ministry of Health
  Ontario Hepatitis C Assistance Plan
  Box 751
  77 Wellesley Street West
  Toronto, Ontario
  M7A 9Z9

All information collected by Ministry of Health for the purposes of this application process is kept confidential, as per the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Application forms

Primary/Secondary Application forms:

• Applicant Form and Instructions
• Physician Form and Instructions

Estate Application forms:

• Applicant Form for Estates and Instructions
• Physician Form for Estates and Instructions

Appointment of Designated Representative form:

• Appointment of a Designated Representative

Additional information

The application process can take over 12 months to complete. The length of time depends mainly on the availability of hospital and transfusion records.

OHCAP compensation does not impact eligibility for other programs such as social assistance, Trillium Drug Benefit or family benefits.

OHCAP compensation is not considered income by Revenue Canada and are not taxable.              
Each eligible applicant will receive a one-time lump sum of $25,000. An applicant who is not eligible for compensation can choose to have that decision independently reviewed by the OHCAP Review Committee.

Resources

The following resources provide additional information on Hepatitis C:

• Canadian AIDS and Hepatitis C Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) - Canada’s source for HIV and Hepatitis C information
• Sexual Health Ontario
• The Ontario Hepatitis C Elimination Roadmap
• Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver
• Canadian Network on Hepatitis C (CanHepC)
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• Public Health Ontario