Family life

Moving to Québec City with your family can be a rewarding adventure, but it does take careful planning. You need to take care of your family by making arrangements for many different parts of their day-to-day lives: housing, childcare and education, healthcare, community life, and more.

This page has a collection of useful information to help you move and settle in to life in Québec while balancing your studies with your family life.

Studying as a parent

Université Laval has resources to help student parents succeed academically and balance their studies with their family responsibilities.

Association des parents-étudiants de l’Université Laval (APÉTUL)

The Association des parents-étudiants de l’Université Laval (APÉTUL) is a student parents’ association that advocates for the interests and values of parents and their children. It orients parents towards dedicated resources both on-and on campus, gives student parents more visibility to facilitate support networks, and offers a number of activities to make parents’ lives much easier. The APÉTUL also offers parents a room where they can study, nurse, eat with their families, or do group work near their children. The space was specifically created with families’ needs in mind.

Contact
Pavillon Maurice-Pollack, local 2229
418 656-2131, poste 3405
assoparentsul@gmail.com
Facebook de l’APÉtUL

Recognition of student-parent status

Université Laval has a student-parent policy that grants accommodations for parental obligations during your studies. However, you must register as a parent student to receive these accommodations. Read the policy below (in French) to learn how to register.

Student parent policy

Immigration permits for your family

Your spouse and children can get work permits, study permits, or visitor records so they can stay with you in Québec.

Learn about the steps to take on the Obtaining permits for family members page.

Insurance and healthcare

Minors (aged 17 and under) are eligible for RAMQ health and drug insurance (free public plan), provided they are present in Québec for more than 6 months of the year. You can register for this online, on the Government of Québec website . To make sure your child is covered as soon as they arrive in Québec, you must contact the RAMQ within 15 days of their arrival.

You also need to make sure that everyone travelling with you has health and hospitalization insurance.

Education system and enrolling in school

Learn about the Québec school system and find out how to enrol your children in elementary or high school.

Education system and enrolling in school

Childcare

Learn about Québec’s childcare system, including the cost of services and how to access them.

Childcare

Tax and government benefits for families

As a family living in Québec and Canada, you may be eligible for several tax and government benefits. For instance, the Government of Canada offers the Canada Child Benefit (CCB). The Government of Québec also supports families with the Family Allowance .

Both levels of government also offer a number of tax benefits for families, like tax credits for childcare expenses and children’s artistic and athletic activities. Look through the Revenu Québec and Canada Revenue Agency websites to learn about the different benefits and how to claim them.

Finally, if you contribute to a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for your children, you may be eligible for incentives from the provincial and federal governments. 
 

Cultural and recreational activities

Québec City has lots of free or low-cost activities for children and families to enjoy. See the Support services and leisure in Québec City page for more information.