In Case of Emergency Outside of Canada
It is important to have a plan of how you can manage and connect to resources and help while abroad. The following are some of the resources and contacts to research and have on hand prior to departure:
- Local authorities in your host country (depending on your location, this may be local police/fire/ambulance/emergency services - see Government of Canada: Embassies and Consulates by Destination for local authority contact information around the world);
- Your local group leader/ host university campus security/ host organization (as applicable);
- The nearest consulate/embassy of your citizenship - see Government of Canada: Embassies and Consulates by Destination for Canadian consular locations abroad.
- Your emergency travel medical insurance provider(s);
- Your emergency contacts at home;
- VIU Campus Security +1.250.740.6600, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (to be connected with the International Education Emergency Contact. Campus Security will need to know:
Who to contact at VIU: Department of International Education Emergency Contact
Full name and VIU student number
Country and location
Number to call you back
Reason for call
Emergency Consular Assistance
There are a few ways to access emergency consular assistance while you are abroad:
Government of Canada Emergency Assistance
- Email to sos@international.gc.ca
- Call collect 613.996.8885
- SMS: 613.209.1233 (carrier charges may apply)
- From within Canada, call 1.800.267.6788, or 1.613.944.6788.
Note from the government website: For emergency help during business hours, call your nearest embassy or consular directly. If you call outside of office hours, your telephone call will automatically be transferred to a consular officer in Ottawa, OR you will be asked to leave a message for a return call. Under normal circumstances, an operations officer will get back to you within 15 minutes/quickly. However, this delay may be longer during large-scale emergencies.
Emergency Travel Wallet Card
All participants in VIU Education Abroad Programs will be provided with copies of the wallet card to have emergency contacts on hand and with emergency contacts at home.
