This guide contains information on the different government programs and services for seniors. You can also download the Programs and Services for Seniors Guide, 2021 Edition (PDF 1.36 Mb).

Health and Social Services

Flu Vaccination
Administered by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux

The Flu Vaccination Program offers free vaccination to people 60 years of age or over.

Health Services Covered Outside Québec This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ)

The Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec reimburses certain healthcare services received outside Québec.

Info-Santé 811
Service offered by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux

Info-Santé 811 is a free, confidential phone consultation service. It allows you to speak to a healthcare professional at any time for advice or information about health problems that are deemed non-urgent, either for yourself or for a relative.

Info-Social 811
Service offered by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux

Info-Social 811 is a free, confidential phone consultation service. It allows you to consult a psychosocial intervention worker, either for yourself or for a relative.

Optometric Services This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Program administered by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ)

People 65 years of age or over may receive certain optometric services, such as eye exams, free of charge.

Prescription Drug Insurance – 65th Birthday This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ)

Anyone who settles in Québec permanently must be covered by a private or public prescription drug insurance plan at all times. At age 65, you are automatically registered for the public prescription drug insurance plan without having to take any steps. However, people who are also eligible for a private prescription drug insurance plan must make a choice.

Home Help

Domestic Help This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ)

The Financial Assistance Program for Domestic Help Services enables eligible individuals to receive a reduction in the hourly rate charged for domestic help services (for example, housekeeping and meal preparation). The services must be provided by a social economy business recognized by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.

Meals on Wheels This hyperlink will open in a new window. (in French only)
Service offered by the Regroupement des popotes roulantes

Meals on Wheels is a service that delivers hot meals to homes, thereby helping some people remain in their home and providing others with respite. The service is intended for seniors, people in convalescence, people with disabilities, pregnant women and informal caregivers. To find the Meals on Wheels service nearest you, contact the Regroupement des popotes roulantes.

Housing

Being a Tenant – Information for Seniors This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Information from the Tribunal administratif du logement (previously known as the Régie du logement)

In certain specific situations, a landlord cannot object when a senior terminates a lease.

Complaint to the Commission des droits de la personne This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Information from the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse

The Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms prohibits discrimination based on personal characteristics such as age or social condition (for example, refusing to lease a dwelling). If you experience such discrimination, you can file a complaint with the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse.

Grant for Seniors to Offset a Municipal Tax Increase This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by Revenu Québec

The grant is financial assistance provided to people 65 years of age or over whose homes have increased significantly in value.

Shelter Allowance This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by Revenu Québec

The Shelter Allowance Program provides financial assistance to low-income households that devote too large a proportion of their budget to housing. The amount is calculated on the basis of the number of people in the household, the type of household, the amount of the rent and the annual income.

Transportation

Ambulance Transportation for People 65 Years of Age or Over
Services offered by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux

Transportation to a hospital centre is free for people 65 years of age or over who have a medical condition requiring ambulance transportation.

Driver’s Licence – State of Health This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ)

In Québec, all drivers must meet the requirements related to state of health and eyesight. They are also required to inform the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec of any change that could negatively impact their ability to drive.

Justice

Exploitation of Seniors This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse

The Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms prohibits the exploitation of seniors and disabled persons. Exploitation is the act of taking advantage of a person’s vulnerability or dependency to deprive them of their rights. Any person who is the victim of exploitation, discrimination or harassment can file a complaint with the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse.

Grandparents’ Rights of Access to their Grandchildren This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Information from Éducaloi

In the event of a conflict or a separation, parents cannot impede the children’s right to maintain a relationship with their grandparents without a serious reason. If the parents’ refusal makes it difficult or impossible for the grandparents to see their grandchildren, the grandparents can ask the court to grant them access rights.

Power of Attorney This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Information from the Ministère de la Justice du Québec

A power of attorney is a mandate by which a person designates another person to perform everyday administrative tasks, such as paying bills, or more important acts, such as the signing of a lease or the sale of a house. People who issue a power of attorney must be able to manage their property themselves.

Prearranged Funeral Services Contracts and Prepurchased Sepulture Contracts This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Information from the Office de la protection du consommateur

Prearranged funeral services contracts and prepurchased sepulture contracts make it possible to plan your funeral and choose your interment or inurnment site. Drawn up by the holder of a funeral director’s permit, these contracts simplify the steps to be taken by grieving relatives.

Senior Abuse

Seniors who suffer abuse can have access to resources and services. In addition, any senior who is a victim of abuse or any person who witnesses an abusive situation may file a confidential complaint.

Will This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Information from the Ministère de la Justice du Québec

Wills are documents in which people indicate to whom they bequeath their property after their death and its distribution among their heirs. In a will, people can also appoint a succession liquidator and, if applicable, a tutor to a minor child. You can cancel your will and rewrite it as many times as you wish.

Tax Credits and Pensions

Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Service offered by Revenu Québec and by the Canada Revenue Agency

Under the Income Tax assistance ‒ Volunteer Program, free assistance is offered to people who have difficulty completing their income tax returns and do not have the means to pay a tax professional to do so. To benefit from the service, you must apply to Revenu Québec.

Independent Living Tax Credit for Seniors This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by Revenu Québec

The Independent Living Tax Credit for Seniors is a refundable tax credit. It is paid to people 70 years of age or over who incurred expenses for the purchase, lease or installation of eligible equipment or fixtures in their principal residence (for example, a remote monitoring device, a walk-in bathtub or a hospital bed). It may also be granted to seniors who have stayed in a functional rehabilitation transition unit following hospitalization.

Pensions from a Foreign Country This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Information from Retraite Québec

Any worker who contributes or contributed to the pension plan of a country that has signed a social security agreement with Québec may receive a pension from that country. The worker and his or her spouse may be entitled to a retirement or disability pension, and family members may receive benefits in the event of the worker’s death.

Québec Pension Plan Retirement Pension This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by Retraite Québec

As of 60 years of age, any person who has contributed sufficiently to the Québec Pension Plan can receive a retirement pension, regardless of whether he or she has stopped working. The amount of the pension depends on the age at which the person chooses to begin receiving his or her retirement pension, the number of years the person contributed to the Plan and the employment income on which contributions were made.

Senior Assistance Tax Credit This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by Revenu Québec

The Senior Assistance Tax Credit is a refundable tax credit paid automatically to eligible people 70 years of age or over who filed an income tax return.

Tax Credit for Home-Support Services for Seniors This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by Revenu Québec

The Tax Credit for Home-Support Services for Seniors is intended for people 70 years of age or over. It is a refundable tax credit based on certain expenses incurred to obtain home-support services. It may be granted for personal care services (for example, nursing care, hygiene, etc.) or maintenance services provided for a dwelling (housekeeping, minor maintenance work outside the dwelling, etc.).

Tax Credit for Seniors’ Activities This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Administered by Revenu Québec

The Tax Credit for Seniors’ Activities is a refundable tax credit. It can be paid to seniors who paid registration fees for physical, artistic, cultural or recreational activities.

Note that some Government of Canada programs and services concern seniors, particularly the Old Age Security program and the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Government of Canada Programs and Services for Seniors This hyperlink will open in a new window.