Copier le lien

Partager sur Facebook

Partager sur X

Partager sur LinkedIn

Partager sur WhatsApp

Copier pour Discord

Travel

Flights, road trips, and the procedures worth knowing before traveling in Quebec and Canada.

Vieauqc TeamAugust 13, 2026

Latest

Cancelled or delayed flight: the FICAV fund can reimburse you

If you buy your tickets through a Quebec-licensed travel agent, the FICAV protects your payments in case of a strike, cancellation or bankruptcy.

A reminder from the Office de la protection du consommateur. The possible labour dispute at WestJet has brought travellers' rights back into the spotlight when a flight is delayed or cancelled. Quebec's consumer protection office (OPC) reminds travellers that clients of Quebec-licensed travel agents are protected by a fund: the FICAV. This Quebec news page is available in French only. What FICAV covers. The travel agents' client compensation fund can reimburse travellers who do not receive the travel services they paid for, because of a supplier default or the occurrence of an event such as a strike or lockout. The fund can also cover extra expenses: for example, unplanned hotel nights or the cost of a cruise missed because of a cancelled flight. The important condition. The protection applies when tickets were bought from a Quebec-licensed travel agent, online or in person. If you buy directly from the airline or through an unlicensed intermediary, FICAV protection does not apply — you can still demand that the carrier find you another flight or refund your tickets. How to check. Before buying, you can check on the OPC website whether a company holds a licence, under the "Se renseigner sur un commerçant" section. The fund also covers other services bought through the agency: coach transport, hotel nights, cruises, excursions. Good to know for newcomers: if you are…

Read the full story →

Vieauqc TeamSeptember 9, 2026

Travel

Magog Harvest Festival: Two Weekends of Quebec Flavours in September

Quebec vineyards, cideries, microbreweries and cheesemakers gather in Magog on September 5-7 and 12-13, 2026. An easy fall getaway to discover Quebec's food scene.

Craving a fall getaway to taste Quebec? The Fête des Vendanges (Harvest Festival) in Magog, in the Eastern Townships, returns "between lake and mountain" to celebrate the know-how of local producers. According to the event's regional listing, it runs over two weekends: September 5, 6 and 7, then September 12 and 13, 2026. More than 75 producers, under one sky. Vineyards, distilleries, cideries, microbreweries, cheesemakers and food artisans gather to share their creations and chat with visitors, in a lively musical setting. It's a concentrated way to meet Quebec's food scene without touring the whole province. How the tasting works. Access to the tastings goes through a base package, Regular or VIP, which includes your official glass, tasting coupons and other surprises depending on the option. The package is valid for all five days of the event, and you can buy more coupons online or on-site depending on your appetite. Note: the festival advertises a 15% pre-sale discount ending August 17 — worth it if you plan ahead. Good to know for newcomers: it's a great outing to understand Quebec's terroir culture — the attachment to local products, ciders and farm cheeses. Magog is about an hour and a half's drive from Montréal; pair the festival with a fall walk in the Mont-Orford area for a full day. Budget the package cost ahead of time, and remember that buying and drinking…

Read the full story →

Vieauqc TeamJuly 22, 2026

Travel

Travelling abroad in winter: your RAMQ card is not enough

Many newcomers think the health card covers them everywhere. Outside Quebec, the protection is very limited.

Quebec winters push many people south — Mexico, Florida, the Caribbean — or back to their home country for the holidays. Before you book, one thing must be clear: your RAMQ card does not protect you the way it does in Quebec once you cross the border. What RAMQ really covers abroad. According to the Government of Quebec, when you receive care outside Quebec, the Régie reimburses only part of the cost, at the rates that apply in Quebec — often far below the real price elsewhere. A hospital stay in the United States can cost thousands of dollars; the reimbursement stays at the Quebec rate. The Government of Quebec therefore recommends taking out private insurance before departure. Medications are not reimbursed. Another often-forgotten point: the public plan does not cover prescription drugs bought outside Quebec. Travel insurance that includes medications fills that gap. The 183-day rule. To stay eligible for health insurance, a person living in Quebec must be present in the province 183 days or more per calendar year. If you plan a long absence, inform RAMQ before leaving to find out whether your coverage is maintained. Careful if you're a temporary resident. Absence rules are stricter for certain statuses. Check your specific situation with RAMQ rather than assuming the general rule applies to you. How travel insurance works. It reimburses the portion RAMQ does not pay:…

Read the full story →

Vieauqc TeamSeptember 9, 2026

Travel

Fall Colours 2026: Where and When to See Them in Quebec

From mid-September to late October, Quebec's forests light up. Here are the best regions and the timing to enjoy them.

One of the great free shows of your first year in Quebec is coming soon: in the fall, the maples, birches and poplars turn red, orange and yellow. Here's how to experience it without missing out. When. The colour season generally runs from mid-September to late October, according to Bonjour Québec, the province's official tourism site. The peak doesn't hit everywhere at once: it depends on altitude and region. Where to look, north to south. Higher and more northern areas turn first. In the Chic-Chocs mountains of the Gaspé and in Haute-Mauricie, colours appear as early as mid-September. Charlevoix and the northern Laurentians and Lanaudière often peak around late September. The Eastern Townships, the Outaouais and the southern Laurentians follow in early October. Finally, Montreal, the Quebec City area and the St. Lawrence lowlands hold their colours until roughly mid-October. The national parks, a safe bet. Sépaq, which runs Quebec's national parks, suggests a few classics: Mont-Mégantic National Park and Jacques-Cartier National Park for families, Fjord-du-Saguenay National Park for its lookouts, and Mont-Tremblant National Park for its varied trails. Daily entry to a Sépaq park has a fee — check the current rate on their site before you go. Doable without a car. Mount Royal in Montreal, the Plains of Abraham and Montmorency Falls Park in Quebec City offer fine colours…

Read the full story →

Vieauqc TeamJuly 22, 2026

Travel

Ski season passes 2026-2027: pre-sales are open in Quebec

Buying a season pass before winter often costs less. A rundown of family options at Bromont, Tremblant and Le Massif.

In Quebec, skiing and snowboarding are part of winter — and for a family, a season pass bought early often works out far cheaper than a string of day tickets. The 2026-2027 pre-sales are already underway at several resorts. Why buy now. Resorts sell their passes in a pre-sale in the fall, at a discount off the winter rate. Waiting for the first snow usually means paying more. Prices vary from one resort and one year to the next: always check the exact rate on the official site before buying. Bromont, montagne d'expériences. Close to Montreal, Bromont offers several formulas, including family passes (minimum one adult and one child) and new "4-season" passes that add the water park and hiking. The resort advertises a discounted pre-sale running until October 19, according to its official site. Tremblant. In the Laurentians, Tremblant offers the Tonik pass, reserved for Canadian residents, with included days and discounted tickets for friends and family. Ikon passes give unlimited access to Tremblant plus a few days at Massif de Charlevoix. Check the site for current conditions and prices. Le Massif de Charlevoix. Facing the river, Le Massif is holding a 2026-2027 season-pass pre-sale. A family pass exists for one or two adults aged 26 and over with children aged 7 to 25 living under the same roof and in full-time studies — proof of status is required. A beginner? Several…

Read the full story →

Vieauqc TeamSeptember 9, 2026

Travel

Super Visa: bringing your parents over gets easier in 2026

Since March 31, 2026, the federal government calculates the host's income more flexibly. How this Canada-wide visa can reunite your family in Quebec.

Dreaming of bringing your parents or grandparents to Quebec? Ever since the federal government paused the parent and grandparent sponsorship program for permanent residence on July 15, 2026, another route has become the practical answer: the super visa. It's a federal program, so it applies across Canada — including here in Quebec — and it has just been made easier to qualify for. So what exactly is the super visa? It's a multiple-entry visitor visa reserved for the parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Unlike an ordinary tourist visa, it lets your relatives stay for five years per visit and remains valid for up to ten years in total. In other words, your loved ones can live near you for a long time without renewing their status every few months. The big 2026 change is about income. To support an application, you — the host, the person doing the welcoming — must prove a minimum income tied to the LICO (Low Income Cut-Off), an amount set by Ottawa based on your family size. Per Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's notice, two new flexibilities apply as of March 31, 2026, to every application already in processing and to all new ones. First flexibility: two tax years instead of one. You can now meet the income threshold in either of the two most recent tax years, not only the most recent one. A rough year, a leave, a job change? The…

Read the full story →

Vieauqc TeamSeptember 9, 2026

Travel

Discovering Quebec's National Parks with SÉPAQ

Booking a campsite or a night in a national park: what a newcomer should know before heading into nature.

Craving forests, lakes, and mountains? Quebec has a vast network of national parks managed by SÉPAQ (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec). It's often the ideal starting point for a newcomer who wants to explore nature here without venturing into the unknown. Quebec's national parks ≠ Parks Canada parks. A useful bit of vocabulary: SÉPAQ's "national parks" are provincial (for example Mont-Tremblant, Îles-de-Boucherville, Mont-Orford). They're separate from the federal parks run by Parks Canada (such as Forillon or La Mauricie), which have their own reservation system. Always check who manages the park you're interested in before booking. How to reserve. Everything is done online on the SÉPAQ website. The network includes thousands of campsites and ready-to-camp units (already set up and equipped) spread across the parks. SÉPAQ recommends creating a customer account ahead of time to make transactions easier, and browsing the site to plan your stay properly. Watch the reservation opening dates. The most popular spots go quickly — Quebec announced the 2026 opening dates in French only. According to Sépaq's own booking-opening page, camping reservations for the 2026 season opened in November 2025, with a virtual waiting room and randomly assigned priority ranks for fair access. Keep an eye on these opening dates from year to year if you're aiming for a specific…

Read the full story →

Vieauqc TeamSeptember 9, 2026Montreal

Travel

REM to Montreal's Airport? Not Yet

The airport station isn't open yet — here's what's running today and how to reach YUL in the meantime.

The Réseau express métropolitain (REM) is the automated light-rail line running across the Montreal region. One question comes up often among newcomers: can you already take it to the airport? As of today, the answer is no — but the network is growing fast. The airport station isn't in service yet. According to REM, the branch serving Montreal-Trudeau airport is scheduled to enter service in 2027, once integration and testing phases are complete. The trip between downtown and the airport will then take about twenty minutes. Until then, no train reaches YUL. What's already running. Several segments are open: the South Shore (Brossard) since 2023, the Deux-Montagnes branch since November 2025, and the West Island branch (Anse-à-l'Orme), inaugurated on May 18, 2026 with four new stations. The airport branch is the last major segment to be completed. Getting to the airport today. The public-transit option is the STM's 747 shuttle, which links downtown to YUL 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. According to the STM, the fare is $11.25 and works as a pass valid for 24 hours on the bus, metro, exo trains, and the REM (Zone A). Check the current schedule and departure point before you go, as some downtown stops are being relocated in 2026 due to construction. Good to know for newcomers. If you're picking up family at the airport or heading off on a trip, plan around the 747 for now —…

Read the full story →

Vieauqc TeamJuly 16, 2026

Travel

Quebec road trip: the essentials before you hit the road

Driver's licence, passport for the U.S.: two things to settle before exploring Quebec's regions by car.

Exploring Quebec by car — from Charlevoix to the Gaspé Peninsula by way of the Eastern Townships — is one of summer's great pleasures. Before you leave, two formalities deserve a newcomer's attention. Your driver's licence. A foreign licence generally lets you drive in Quebec for the six months following your arrival. After that, you need a Quebec licence. According to the SAAQ, the exchange is done by appointment with the required documents; the agency then gets back to you within a set number of business days to confirm whether you can obtain a licence or have your driving experience recognized. Nationals of certain countries tied to Quebec by an agreement are exempt from the exams — check your situation on the SAAQ foreign-licence page. A hop into the United States? Many routes run along the border, and crossing over is tempting. The safest document is a valid passport: the Government of Canada reminds travellers that a passport is the only universally accepted document proving your right to return to Canada. Note: a U.S. REAL ID card is not accepted for entering Canada. Your immigration status matters on the way back. If you're not a Canadian citizen, make sure you have the documents needed to re-enter Canada after a trip out — for example a valid permanent resident card, or the appropriate authorization for your status. Check the list of accepted documents from the…

Read the full story →

Policy & Admin Cost of Living Things to Do Sports Food & Drink Everyday Life Quirky Quebec