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FREE MOVING GUIDE

Who to notify when you move in Canada

This page is the free guide. No sign-in. Read on.

Just moved, or about to? Start here.

Moving means updating your address with a dozen different organizations, some within 10 days, others that affect your benefits and tax refunds. This free guide covers every federal and provincial agency, tailored to your province.

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    Is this guide for you?

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    • You are moving to a new permanent address within Canada

    • You need to notify government agencies, your bank, employer, and other organizations

    • Your move has already happened or is happening within the next few weeks

    Moving abroad? Most of this guide still applies for your CRA and Service Canada notifications before you go.

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    Every Canadian mover needs to notify:

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    ✓Canada Post: mail forwarding
    ✓CRA: mailing address + direct deposit
    ✓Service Canada: EI, CPP, OAS if applicable
    ✓Elections Canada: voter registration
    ✓Employer / HR / payroll
    ✓Banks, credit cards, investments
    ✓Home, tenant, or auto insurance
    ✓Doctor, dentist, pharmacy
    ✓Online retailers and subscriptions

    Note: your Canadian passport does not need an address update; passports do not store your home address.

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    Pick your province for the full guide

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    The province-specific section is the important part: your health card, driver's licence, and vehicle registration agencies are different in every province, and three provinces (BC, SK, MB) bundle auto insurance with the registry.

    ONOntarioBCBritish ColumbiaABAlbertaSKSaskatchewanMBManitobaQCQuebecNBNew BrunswickNSNova ScotiaPEPrince Edward IslandNLNewfoundland & Labrador
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    Province-specific surprises to know about

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    • BC, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba: Auto insurance is public and bundled with your driver's licence and registration. In these provinces you update everything through one agency (ICBC / SGI / MPI); do not call a private insurer for basic coverage.
    • Quebec: Two extra steps vs. other provinces: (1) update Revenu Québec, QC has a separate provincial income tax return, and (2) SAAQ covers bodily-injury auto insurance publicly, but property damage is through a private insurer.
    • Alberta: Driver's licences and vehicle registrations are handled by private registry agents; there is no single government office or portal. Find your nearest authorized registry agent through alberta.ca.
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    Moving also means paperwork for…

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    Tenants & landlords

    Lease end, notice requirements, condition reports, deposit return.

    Selling your home

    Purchase agreement, disclosure, title transfer, closing steps.

    Buying a home

    Closing costs, land transfer tax, and what happens on possession day.

    Your first 30 days after moving

    The same address updates in time order, from day one onward.

    For professionals: this checklist with your name on it

    Realtors and immigration consultants can hand clients a branded copy.

    If you would rather keep all of this in one place, the Home File is a document organizer made for Canadian paperwork.

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    Common questions

    How do I change my province of residence in Canada?Open this section ↓

    How do I change my province of residence in Canada?

    Your province of residence is the province recorded on your official files, so changing it means updating each one after you move: your provincial health card, your driver’s licence, your address with the CRA, and Elections Canada, plus Canada Post mail forwarding, your bank, and your employer. This checklist walks through everyone to notify, province by province.

    Who do I need to notify when I change my address after moving?

    Start with the government records tied to your address: the CRA, your provincial health card, your driver’s licence and vehicle registration, and Elections Canada. Then set up Canada Post mail forwarding and update your bank, employer, insurer, and subscriptions. Pick your province below for the exact agencies and links.

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Moving to a new province?

Get the full new-resident guide: driver's licence deadline, health card wait, and vehicle re-registration, per province.

New-province checklist →

New to Canada?

Arriving from outside Canada comes with its own first-weeks list: SIN, provincial health coverage, and your foreign licence deadline.

First-weeks checklist →

Just had a baby?

Address updates are just one step. Get the full new-parent paperwork guide: birth registration, SIN, CCB, health card, and parental leave, per province.

New-baby checklist →

Facts checked September 2026

Guidepost is not a law firm. This guide is for general information only. Full disclaimer