Short answer: In British Columbia you generally need a referral from a family doctor or nurse practitioner to see a pediatrician — you can’t book one directly. If you don’t have a family doctor, register free with the Health Connect Registry (call 8-1-1 or go to hcr.healthlinkbc.ca) and use an urgent and primary care centre in the meantime. Surrey has three: Whalley, Newton and South Surrey. MSP covers doctor visits and one eye exam a year for under-19s, but not glasses.
Finding health care for your child in Surrey is less about knowing which pediatrician is best and more about understanding how the system routes you. This guide explains the actual path — who you can see without a referral, where to go at 9pm on a Sunday, what’s covered, and the pediatric clinics serving Surrey and South Surrey.
This is general information, not medical advice. For health concerns, call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 to speak to a registered nurse any time, day or night. In an emergency, call 9-1-1.
Do You Need a Referral to See a Pediatrician in BC?
Yes. A pediatrician is a specialist, and in BC specialists are accessed by referral from a family doctor or nurse practitioner. You can’t phone a pediatric clinic and book an appointment the way you would a dentist.
In practice, most healthy children in BC never see a pediatrician at all — routine care, immunizations, checkups and common illnesses are handled by a family doctor or nurse practitioner. A referral to a pediatrician typically happens when there’s a specific concern: growth or development, a chronic condition, complex allergies, or a follow-up from a hospital stay.
This is the part that surprises newcomers. Families arriving from countries where you take your child directly to a pediatrician often spend months looking for the wrong thing. The provider you actually need first is a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
No Family Doctor? Start With the Health Connect Registry
BC’s Health Connect Registry is the province-wide waitlist for a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Registering is free and takes under five minutes.
How to register:
- Online: hcr.healthlinkbc.ca
- By phone: call 8-1-1 — available in more than 130 languages. TTY: 7-1-1.
What you need: your Personal Health Number (on the BC Services Card), home address and contact details. You can register on behalf of your children and anyone else in your care — do it for the whole family in one go.
What happens next: an attachment coordinator contacts you when a local provider has capacity. There is no published wait time, and in Surrey it can be long. Register anyway, and keep your contact details current — people miss their match because a phone number changed.
Register your newborn too. Add your baby as soon as they have a Personal Health Number. See our newborn paperwork checklist for how MSP enrolment works and the 60-day deadline.
Where to Go When Your Child Is Sick
The single most useful thing to know as a Surrey parent is which door to use.
| Situation | Where to go | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Not sure how serious it is | HealthLink BC 8-1-1 — registered nurse, 24/7 | Free |
| Minor question, medication advice | Community pharmacist | Free advice |
| Routine checkup, prescription, ongoing care | Family doctor or nurse practitioner | MSP |
| Needs care within 12–24 hours (infection, cut needing stitches, burn, new pain) | Urgent and Primary Care Centre | MSP |
| Minor illness, no family doctor | Walk-in clinic | MSP |
| Serious — difficulty breathing, head injury, suspected broken bone, severe allergic reaction, unresponsive | Call 9-1-1 or go to Emergency | MSP |
Surrey’s Urgent and Primary Care Centres
UPCCs handle non-life-threatening problems that need attention within 12 to 24 hours. Fraser Health runs three in Surrey:
- Surrey-Whalley UPCC — Unit G2, 9639 137A Street, Surrey
- Surrey-Newton UPCC — 6830 King George Boulevard, Surrey
- South Surrey UPCC — 120-1711 152 Street, Surrey
Important: UPCCs don’t work like walk-in clinics. You register, and a nurse phones you back — often within 24 hours — to assess how urgent it is and book you in if needed. Fraser Health states plainly that showing up in person doesn’t get you seen faster, because patients are prioritised by urgency, not arrival time. Call or check the Fraser Health website before you drive over.
Hours change. UPCC hours have been adjusted several times in recent years. Always confirm current hours on the Fraser Health UPCC page before travelling.
Pediatric Clinics Serving Surrey
These pediatric practices are listed on KidsServiceHub. Remember: you’ll need a referral from a family doctor or nurse practitioner to be seen.
South Surrey Pediatrics
A 5-star pediatric clinic in South Surrey providing comprehensive medical care for children from newborns through adolescence, with experienced pediatricians focused on growth, development and family well-being.
View listing →
Pacific Pediatrics Associates
A dedicated pediatric clinic in Surrey providing specialised medical care for children of all ages.
View listing →
Paramount Pediatrics
Comprehensive pediatric medical care for infants, children and adolescents in South Surrey, with pediatricians who partner with parents on long-term health and development.
View listing →
Browse all kids’ health care listings →
Surrey Memorial Hospital: The Children’s Health Centre
Worth knowing about before you need it. The Children’s Health Centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital is the only dedicated pediatric facility in the entire Fraser Health region — which covers roughly 2 million people from Burnaby to Boston Bar.
It provides 24/7 pediatric emergency care, inpatient care, pediatric surgery, oncology, a NICU and developmental support for children under 17.
What this means practically: if your child needs emergency care, Surrey Memorial’s pediatric emergency department is staffed and equipped specifically for children — a meaningful difference from a general ER. It is also, unsurprisingly, busy.
What MSP Covers for Children
| Service | MSP coverage |
|---|---|
| Family doctor / nurse practitioner visits | Fully covered |
| Pediatrician visits (with referral) | Fully covered |
| Hospital and emergency care | Fully covered |
| Childhood immunizations | Free through public health |
| Eye exam, ages 0–18 | $47.08 per year toward one full exam — you pay any balance |
| Glasses and contact lenses | Not covered |
| Dental care | Not covered by MSP — see below |
| Private physiotherapy, OT, speech | Generally not covered |
| Prescription medications | Through PharmaCare, income-based |
Note the eye exam detail. MSP contributes $47.08 toward one full eye exam a year for children under 19 — it doesn’t pay the whole bill at most clinics. Ask what the balance is when you book.
Dental and glasses help for lower-income families: the BC Healthy Kids Program assists middle- and low-income families with basic dental care and prescription eyewear for children under 19 who receive MSP premium assistance. The federal Canadian Dental Care Plan also covers many families. Our kids dental care guide explains who qualifies for each and how they stack.
Immunizations in Surrey
Routine childhood immunizations in BC are free and delivered through Fraser Health public health units, not usually through your family doctor. You’ll be contacted about your baby’s schedule after the birth is registered.
You can view and download your child’s immunization record any time through Health Gateway using a BC Services Card login — useful, because almost every daycare and school in Surrey asks for it. Our daycare checklist covers what else you’ll need at registration.
Eye Care for Kids
Children’s vision problems are easy to miss, because a child with blurry vision has no idea it’s meant to look different. BC Doctors of Optometry recommend regular exams from an early age, and MSP contributes toward one exam a year up to age 19.
Sullivan Optometry — Surrey
A full-scope optometry clinic in Surrey offering eye care for all ages, specialising in pediatric eye exams, contact lenses and family eye care.
View listing →
If You’re Worried About Development
Speech delays, motor skills, sensory processing and social development are handled through a different set of services than general medical care — some of them free through Fraser Health, some private, and some funded.
Our separate guide covers this in full: Pediatric Therapy in Surrey: Speech, OT, Sensory Support & Funding.
The short version: if something feels off, raise it with your family doctor or public health nurse rather than waiting to see if it resolves. Fraser Health accepts self-referrals for preschool speech services for children aged 5 and under — you don’t need a doctor’s note to start that conversation.
Health Care for Newborns
Your baby is covered under your Personal Health Number until their own MSP enrolment is processed, so don’t delay care while waiting for a card. Enrol them within 60 days of birth. Full details in our newborn documents checklist for BC parents.
Useful numbers for the first year:
- HealthLink BC 8-1-1 — nurse advice 24/7, plus dietitians and pharmacists
- Fraser Health public health units — immunizations, growth checks, feeding support
- Medical Services Plan (Lower Mainland) — 604-683-7151
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral to see a pediatrician in BC?
Yes. Pediatricians are specialists, and in British Columbia you need a referral from a family doctor or nurse practitioner. You cannot book directly with a pediatric clinic. Most routine childhood care — checkups, immunizations, common illnesses — is handled by a family doctor or nurse practitioner rather than a pediatrician.
How do I find a family doctor in Surrey?
Register with BC’s Health Connect Registry, free, at hcr.healthlinkbc.ca or by calling 8-1-1 (available in over 130 languages). You’ll need your Personal Health Number and address, and you can register your whole family at once. An attachment coordinator contacts you when a local provider has capacity.
Where do I take a sick child in Surrey after hours?
Call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 first — a registered nurse can tell you whether it needs to be seen and how urgently. For problems needing attention within 12 to 24 hours, use an urgent and primary care centre (Whalley, Newton or South Surrey). For serious symptoms like difficulty breathing, head injury or a suspected broken bone, call 9-1-1 or go to Emergency.
What is an urgent and primary care centre, and is it the same as a walk-in?
No. A UPCC handles non-life-threatening concerns needing care within 12 to 24 hours. You register and a nurse phones you back to assess urgency and book you in — attending in person does not get you seen faster, because patients are prioritised by urgency rather than arrival order.
Does MSP cover eye exams for children in BC?
Partially. MSP contributes $47.08 toward one full eye exam per year for children aged 0 to 18. You pay any balance above that, and glasses and contact lenses are not covered. The BC Healthy Kids Program helps eligible lower-income families with prescription eyewear.
Are childhood immunizations free in BC?
Yes. Routine childhood immunizations are free and are delivered through Fraser Health public health units rather than your family doctor. You can download your child’s record any time through Health Gateway with a BC Services Card login.
Is there a children’s hospital in Surrey?
The Children’s Health Centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital is the only dedicated pediatric facility in the Fraser Health region, offering 24/7 pediatric emergency care, inpatient care, pediatric surgery, oncology, a NICU and developmental support for children under 17.
My newborn doesn’t have a BC Services Card yet — are they covered?
Yes. Your baby is covered under your Personal Health Number until their own MSP enrolment is processed. Give your PHN at the clinic or pharmacy. Enrol your child as a dependent within 60 days of birth; their own card arrives about six to eight weeks after that.
What if I’m worried about my child’s speech or development?
Raise it with your family doctor or public health nurse rather than waiting. Fraser Health accepts self-referrals for preschool speech development services for children aged five and under — you can call a public health unit directly without a doctor’s referral.
Is dental care covered for kids in BC?
Not by MSP. Many families qualify for the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan, and lower-income families may also claim through BC Healthy Kids — the two can be used together. Children under three can get free fluoride varnish from Fraser Health.
Related Guides for Surrey Parents
- Pediatric Therapy in Surrey: Speech, OT, Sensory Support & Funding
- Kids Dental Care in Surrey, BC (2026)
- Documents You Need After a Newborn in BC (2026)
- How to Choose a Daycare in Surrey, BC
- Browse all kids’ health care listings
Last updated: August 2026. Coverage amounts, services and locations are sourced from HealthLink BC, Fraser Health and BC Doctors of Optometry, and can change. This guide is general information only and is not medical advice — call 8-1-1 for health advice, or 9-1-1 in an emergency.
