Federal and municipal governments, as well as the U of T, offer a wide range of easily accessible sexual health resources. To help you access these resources, the university compiled a summary of some of them provided on and off campus.
birth control
You can contact the U of T Health and Wellness Center for information on birth control.
Some birth control methods require a doctor’s prescription. You can book a training session with a Health and Wellness Center nurse to discuss which method is best for you. After learning about the different possible forms of contraception, you can make an appointment with a doctor at the center to obtain a prescription.
Prescriptions from center doctors can be used to purchase hormonal contraceptives at the Health and Wellness Center. Students who have a prescription from an unaffiliated doctor must make an appointment to transfer their prescription to Health & Wellness and obtain a new one from one of the center’s doctors before purchasing.
Condoms are also available free of charge from the Health and Welfare office, although supplies are limited. The university’s sexual health team offers short instructional videos on external and internal condom use.
Health and well-being is part of Rapid Access Intrauterine Contraception Centers of Excellence. The Health and Wellness Center has a team of experts in intrauterine device insertion and offers reduced wait times. It also accepts self-referrals, which is a good option if you’re looking for quick access to birth control. You can make an appointment to get same day insertions on Wednesday afternoon at the Health and Wellness Center.
You can also explore birth control options through the website It’s a plan, which offers a list of all birth control methods available in Canada, compiled by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada. It’s a self-guided tool that helps you find a method that’s right for you.
Toronto Public Health also offers a brochure with detailed information on different birth control options. It includes important aspects to consider when choosing contraceptives, such as their effectiveness, accessibility and frequency of use – before sex, daily, weekly, etc.
If you need emergency contraception, you will find more information at whatsnextforme.ca/choices. Know that there is a time limit for taking emergency contraception, and the sooner you take it, the better it will work.
Sexually transmitted infections
Prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are extremely important, as many of them can cause lifelong health problems, especially in women. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, these health conditions may include, but are not limited to, “pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, tubal or ectopic pregnancy, cervical cancer, uterus and perinatal or congenital infections in infants born to infected mothers.” STIs are increasingly common among post-secondary students, affecting one in four.
Public services are a great way to get more information about STIs and access resources. Toronto Public Health offers a concise guide about what STIs are, how to protect yourself and where to access free testing and treatment. Meanwhile, Health Canada is providing a plus detailed guide on specific ITS and a series of resources for each province.
The University of Toronto offers STI testing through the Center for Health and Wellness. You can contact him to make an appointment or speak to one of the nurses by calling Health and Wellness on your campus.
Sexual violence
The university also offers sexual violence prevention resources and support for survivors. You can find emergency help at Student life website that you can reach on all three campuses and off campus.
the Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Center (SVPSC) aims to support survivors and provide accommodation, financial and legal assistance, counseling and medical services. The SVPSC also offers referrals to additional resources on and off campus for sexual violence.
A list of these and other resources is provided by the Sexual Health Collaborative and can be found on their website.
A number of on-campus student groups also offer survivor support services, including the Prevention Empowerment Advocacy Response for Survivors and Trinity College against sexual assault and harassment.
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