How to change your name and/or gender in the hundreds of places where your identity is stored

Version française ici: https://praxis.encommun.io/n/Q6hOsiKkxfHop8yCpZ0CeEh2Q6Q/ 

Written by: Margot Silvestro

Organisatrice communautaire à la Clinique communautaire de Pointe-Saint-Charles

Mars 2024

Translated to English by: Misha Ezri Ayotte

Student of the McGill School of Social Work

Notice: it is possible that  some information may be missing, but we assure you that a majority of the spaces where you can make your name change are listed.

Legal forms to change your gender or sex mention in so-called "Québec" are here: https://www.etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca/fr/formulaires-publications.html 

INTRO: what is automatically done

When you are making your legal changes with the registrar of civil status (or directeur de l’etat civil), and they are accepted, they will transmit a notice of the change to the following institutions:

-The Ministry of Health Insurance/ Régie de l’assurance-Maladie du Québec (RAMQ)

-Retirement Quebec A.K.A Retraite Québec: family allowance, pension plan, public retirement plan

-The Ministry of Employment and Social solidarity 

-The Commision of labour standards, pay equity, and occupational health and security (CNESST)

-The Ministry of Public Security

For more information: https://www.etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca/en/change-name.html

There are still several steps to take once the name/gender change is completed and you have received your new documentation.

More often than not you will be asked to send proof of your name/gender change, such as if you are changing your name on a bill or bank card. It could be beneficial to make a scan of your new documentation to facilitate the process.

Prepare yourself to be patient through this process, and try to take it one step at a time. Unfortunately, you may get misgendered during these experiences. If this could dredge up feelings of dysphoria, you can bring friends or a supportive family member to sit with you through the process, or talk through it with them after.

For your own benefit, try and stay calm through this process and correct others on your identity when you feel able. Only you know yourself best! Usually, people are more clumsy than they are malicious when it comes to this misgendering, though it is frustrating all the same.

Quebec Government

Revenu Québec → Remember to verify with Revenu Quebec that your name change has been recognized so that you can complete your taxes.

SAAQ → You will need to make an appointment with the SAAQ to change your name on your file and documentation.

The healthcare system → Once you have received your RAMQ card, your new number is usually linked to the former. Unfortunately none of your information will be changed in your old documentation, so expect to see your birth name on this documentation throughout your life. You will also need to re-create hospital cards, which may require you to go to the archives department of each hospital you frequent. Keep your old ramq card in case you have some old medical records to request. Alternatively you can send them a copy of your name change notice.

Elections Quebec → If you intend to vote, check that you are registered on the electoral list.

Ministry of Education → They may automatically update your permanent education code to match your new name, as they tend to start with the 3 first letters of your family name, followed by the first letter of your chosen name. It can be a hassle to change your name on previous degrees, though not impossible.

Business registry → If you have a business or are registered with the Registrar because you are involved in a business, you will need to make the changes yourself or ask the business to do so.

If you have children → You will need to request a modification of their birth certificate from the Registrar of Civil Status (you can do this using the new form), and then take the steps for the places where your civil status is linked.

Federal Government Revenue Canada / Canada Revenue Agency

→ Extremely important to confirm your name change, this is your basic identity in Canada, along with your social insurance number.

Your social insurance number → You can take the first steps online on Canada.ca under the “Employment and Social Development” category, specifically in the Social Insurance overview.

Access it here: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html

Ideally these two will be your priority, after which you can continue onto the next:

Services Canada →  “My Service Canada Account” allows you to access a variety of services and government benefits, including unemployment. Be sure that your information is up to date. You can log in here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/my-account.html

Passeport canadien → Une fois que vous aurez fait vos changements prioritaires, déposez une demande de passeport, même si votre ancien passeport n’est pas échu.

Élections Canada → attendez le moment de la révision de la liste électorale. Faites vos changements d’assurance sociale et à l’Agence du revenu avant.

Autres ministères fédéraux → Si vous avez des liens avec d’autres ministères (anciens combattants, affaires autochtones, etc.), contactez-les une fois que vos changements prioritaires sont faits.

Your employer

Once you have your new certificates, you can ask your employer to make the changes in your files, as well as in your group insurance files or any other institutions linked to your work (like a union).

Insurance

Make sure to contact all the insurance companies you deal with: home, auto, life insurance, etc. The procedure is different depending on the company, but generally you will be asked to provide proof of your changes.

Finances

You will have to make all changes yourself with the financial institutions with which you have relationships: banks, investment institutions, financial cooperatives, credit cards, etc. It can be more or less complicated, you will have to sign a lot of papers and you will have to redo your debit and credit cards. Do them one at a time so you don't overwhelm yourself, or find yourself without access to your money!

Don't forget to make changes to other financial, fund transfer, online payment entities such as Equifax, TransUnion, PayPal, etc.

SERVICES PUBLICS

Hydro-Québec → You will need to contact HQ to change your information for your future invoices. Hydro-Québec works with accounts linked to addresses. You can wait until you move and open/change your account at that time, or do so immediately.

Énergir → Same thing for natural gas.

Your lease → If you feel safe doing so, it is strongly suggested to ask your landlord to modify your lease. As this is only a change of identity and not a change in the conditions of the lease, it should not pose a problem. Buy a lease form, make an appointment with it, fill it out together. DO NOT ACCEPT ANY CHANGES TO THE LEASE AT THIS TIME. There are legal procedures for modifying a lease. If your landlord annoys you, do nothing and wait until the end of the lease to re-sign a new one.

CPE, elementary school, high school → If you have children, make sure the schools and/or daycares will make your name changes. It will not be automatic.

All other private services

You will have to make changes to all your private services yourself: landline, mobile phone, internet access, cable access, public libraries, Air Miles, all merchant loyalty cards, all websites, all accounts with merchants, etc. You will realize that there are a lot of them! Several years after my name and gender change, I am still discovering things.

Others

-Testament (yours)

-Wills (where you are named)

-Mandate in case of incapacity (yours)

-Mandates in case of incapacity (where you are appointed)

etc.

THIS DOCUMENT IS A COLLABORATION OF

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