Are you moving soon? In addition to packing your boxes and reserving your moving truck, you will also have to change your address.
Contacting various services, organizations, and governments can be a laborious process. Moreover, due to their number, it is not always easy to remember everyone you need to inform of your change of address.
To assist you, here are the steps to follow to notify the Quebec and Canadian governments of your move. You will also find a detailed list of the various services and organizations to contact.
How do you change your address with the Quebec government?
The Quebec government allows you to report your move to several organizations in a single step. Indeed, the Service québécois de changement d'adresse (SQCA) allows you to transmit information to these 7 ministries and organizations:
- Revenu Québec ;
- Retraite Québec ;
- Élections Québec ;
- Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) ;
- Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) ;
- Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) ;
- Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale.
As for other government agencies, you will need to notify them individually, online or by phone according to your preferred method.
How do you change your address with the Canadian government?
Unlike the Quebec government, the Canadian government does not offer a service to simultaneously report your change of address to several organizations. You will need to individually notify those that apply to your situation.
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is essential to contact. You can do so online, by phone, or by mail. However, the CRA will not communicate your change of address to other ministries. You will need to continue your procedures yourself.
Complete list of organizations to notify of your change of address
There are numerous individuals and institutions to contact when changing your address. To help you remember everything, here is a detailed checklist.
Personal and professional contacts
- Family members;
- Friends;
- Educational institution (daycare, school, college, university, etc.);
- Employer;
- Union;
- Professional association or regulatory body;
- Landlord, if necessary;
- Etc.
To ensure you don't forget anyone in your circle, simply go through your contacts. Whether you keep them on your cellphone or in an address book, check each entry and make sure to contact everyone individually.
Government services
- RAMQ, for health insurance card and prescription drugs;
- SAAQ, for driver's license and registration;
- CNESST;
- Revenu Québec;
- Régie des rentes du Québec;
- Élections Québec;
- Elections Canada;
- Canada Revenue Agency;
- Canada Pension Plan;
- Employment Insurance;
- Old Age Security (OAS);
- Veterans Affairs Canada;
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada;
- Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur (Québec), for loans and grants;
- Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP);
- Curateur public du Québec;
- Épargne Placements Québec;
- Canada Savings Bonds;
- Transport Canada, for aviation and pleasure craft.
To inform the various ministries relevant to your situation, refer to the procedures mentioned earlier or contact each organization individually. You can also consult the list of Canadian ministries and organizations and the list of Quebec ministries and organizations to ensure you haven't forgotten anything.
Services and creditors
- Financial institution;
- Credit cards;
- Mortgage lender;
- RRSPs and other investments;
- Accountant;
- Internet provider;
- Cable provider;
- Telephone and mobile provider;
- Electricity, gas, or oil company (Hydro-Québec, Énergir, etc.);
- Fuel provider for your heating;
- Alarm system.
Notify Hydro-Québec of your move as soon as possible to avoid billing issues. Moreover, by changing your address online, directly from the Customer Space, you will save $25 in service fees.
Also, quickly contact your other service and telecommunication providers to continue receiving the same level of service upon arrival at your new home.
Are you changing financial institutions?
If your move also involves changing financial institutions, make sure to update your banking information with governments and any other affected organizations. This is particularly important if you receive money via direct deposit, such as tax refunds.
Insurances
- Car insurance;
- Home insurance;
- Disability insurance;
- Life insurance;
- Group insurance offered by your employer;
- Etc.
Home insurance is particularly important when changing addresses, as it can cover your belongings before, during, and after the move. However, your insurer needs to be aware of your move and that your coverage is adequate.
Health professionals
- Hospital and medical clinic;
- Pharmacy;
- Doctor;
- Dentist;
- Psychologist;
- Optometrist;
- Veterinarian, if you have pets;
- Any other health specialist you regularly consult.
These professionals will need to update their records. If you wish, you can notify them by phone or simply wait until your next appointment to inform them of the change.
Other organizations
- Various subscriptions (newspapers, magazines, gym, library, etc.);
- Loyalty cards, store cards, and rewards programs (Air Miles, CAA, Costco, etc.);
- Companies responsible for renting your appliances (water heater, furnace, etc.);
- Online delivery services (Amazon, eBay, etc.);
- Héma-Québec, if you donate blood;
- Charitable organizations, clubs, or associations to which you donate money;
- Alumni association;
- Federations or corporations of which you are a member;
- Car dealership, to be informed in case of recall;
- Municipality, for taxes;
- Cemetery where you hold a plot.
Obviously, some address changes will be more urgent than others. You don't have to do them all at once, but it's good to make a list adapted to your situation to remember everything and follow up with the organizations you still need to contact.
Postal redirection service during a move
Afraid of forgetting something? Canada Post offers a mail forwarding service. For a fee, you can ensure you don't miss your infrequent or forgotten mailings, as they will be redirected to your new address.
You can sign up for this service directly on their website or by visiting a post office. Several packages are offered based on your situation and needs.
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