When you move, the list of people to notify looks endless. In practice, four steps cover almost everything: one for the Quebec government, a few at the federal level, mail forwarding, and your personal accounts. Here they are, with the right time for each.
| When | What | How |
|---|---|---|
| As soon as you know the date | Hydro-Québec | Online (saves you $25) |
| One to two weeks before | Mail forwarding (Canada Post) and your home insurer | Online or at the counter, and one call |
| Moving week | Quebec government, in one step | Online, free |
| The days after | Canada Revenue Agency and other federal programs | One agency at a time |
| Within the first month | Bank, employer, school, subscriptions | Your online accounts |
The Quebec government: one step
The free online Service québécois de changement d’adresse sends your new address in one go to the SAAQ, the RAMQ, Revenu Québec, Retraite Québec, Élections Québec, the CNESST and the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale.
The SAAQ must have your new address within 30 days of your move. A few programs are not covered by this service, including student financial aid and the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan: if you receive them, notify them directly. The full list of exceptions is on Québec.ca.
The federal government: one agency at a time
The Government of Canada says so itself: its systems are not connected, and your new address is not shared automatically between departments. For most people, that comes down to:
- the Canada Revenue Agency, through My Account or by phone;
- Service Canada, if you receive Employment Insurance or Old Age Security;
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, if you have an application in progress (passport, permit, citizenship);
- Elections Canada.
All the links are on the page Change your address with the Government of Canada.
Canada Post: for the mail that keeps coming
Even after all of that, mail will keep arriving at your old address for months. Canada Post Mail Forwarding sends it to the new one for 4 or 12 months. It is a paid service, it needs government photo ID, and it starts at the earliest 5 days after an online purchase (3 days at the post office): order it one to two weeks before the date. Parcels are not forwarded, so update the delivery address on your online shopping accounts too.
Your personal accounts
This is the part people forget, because no form covers it:
- Hydro-Québec: as soon as you know the date, online, which saves you $25. If your meter is not a communicating meter, send a reading when you leave and when you arrive.
- Your home and car insurer: call before the date. Your policy often covers your belongings during a move, and it is better to confirm it than to assume it.
- Internet, TV and mobile: moving a service often needs to be booked ahead, especially around July 1.
- Bank and credit cards, employer, school, daycare, doctor and pharmacy, and your subscriptions.
What if you are leaving Quebec?
The Quebec service does not follow you to another province. Your driver’s licence, registration and health card move to the new province, each on its own deadline. Our long distance moving pages cover the essentials by destination.
While you fill in these forms, we take care of the rest. Describe your move and a consultant answers in writing within minutes during office hours.
