Searching in Quebec

Adoption Disclosure Laws changed in Quebec in June 2018. 

Amendments to the Legislation

The provisions of the Act to amend the Civil Code and other legislative provisions as regards adoption and the disclosure of information  came into force in their entirety on June 16, 2018. The Act amends certain rules of confidentiality, relating to the identities of adopted persons and biological parents who have given up a child.

Individuals adopted in Québec or biological parents of a child adopted in Québec

Centralized call service

A centralized telephone number has been set up to provide services to adopted persons and biological parents.

Please find below the link to the information sheet provided by the Quebec government. Read VERY carefully as it is extremely complicated and bureaucratic.

NOTE: ONLY ADOPTEES can apply for their birth mother’s name (Quebec calls this the ‘parent of origin’). Birth parents DO NOT have the right to request the adoptive name of their relinquished child.

The centralized service is accessible by email or telephone at 1- 888- 441- 7889.

Attention all Quebec Adoptees:

There are two forms to complete to request your original birth information.
1. Registration form
2. Application to withdraw an identity disclosure veto or contact veto. NOTE: The Quebec government has automatically placed a veto for you on the release of your information in case your birth relatives is looking for you. You MUST withdraw this veto by filling in this form.

  1. Registration Form – Identity and Disclosure Veto and Contact Form

http://msssa4.msss.gouv.qc.ca/intra/formres.nsf/f7f6e601c73ef53b85256e1a006ba71f/dcb3a93ceeb8790d852582ad0052f7aa/$FILE/AS-721A_DT9443%20(2018-05)%20S.PDF

     2.  Application to Withdraw an Identity and Disclosure Veto and Contact Form

http://msssa4.msss.gouv.qc.ca/intra/formres.nsf/f7f6e601c73ef53b85256e1a006ba71f/1c94f4b377200d7e852582ad0052c7de/$FILE/AS-720A_DT9441%20(2018-05)%20S.PDF 

Adoptees in Quebec must wait one year after the death of a birth parent for their name to be released. Keep applying!
If you learned that your birth parent had died in a previous contact with the social agency, be sure to attach any letters with your registration form. It will speed up the process.

Attention all Quebec Birth Parents:

Although you have no rights to your relinquished child’s name, you MUST withdraw the veto automatically placed on your file by the Quebec government. Otherwise, if your child is looking for you, your name will not be released.

This applies to birth relatives if the birth mother is deceased.

http://msssa4.msss.gouv.qc.ca/intra/formres.nsf/f7f6e601c73ef53b85256e1a006ba71f/1c94f4b377200d7e852582ad0052c7de/$FILE/AS-720A_DT9441%20(2018-05)%20S.PDF

The following services are offered to adopted persons:

  • Obtain information on the application of the Act
  • Access your original first and last names
  • Access a biological parent’s identity, if the latter has been dead for more than 12 months
  • Obtain the form that :
    • o Authorizes disclosure of your identity, personal information, or both, so that your biological parents can contact you (Withdrawal of an Identity Disclosure Veto or a Contact Veto form)

The following services are offered to biological parents:

  • Obtain information on the application of the Act
  • Obtain the forms that allow you to
    • Refuse disclosure of your identity and personal information in order to prevent contact (Identity Disclosure Veto and Contact Veto form)
    • Authorize disclosure of your identity and/or personal information, if a veto had been registered, so that your adopted child can contact you (Withdrawal of an Identity Disclosure Veto or a Contact Veto form)

Services offered by CISSS or CIUSSS

Integrated health and social services centres (CISSS) or integrated university health and social services centres (CIUSSS) offer research assistance to the following informations:

  • Adopted persons
  • Adoptable persons who are not adopted
  • Biological parents who have given a child up for adoption

Call the CISSS or CIUSSS adoption services in the region or territory where the adoption judgment was issued to receive more information on :

  • Your social and biological history
  • Your biological parents
  • Your adopted biological child

When the information sought is available, the CISSS or CIUSSS can also provide support to help you get in touch with your biological parents, if they consent, or with your adopted biological child, if he or she consents.

If you are an adoptable individual who has not been adopted, contact the CISSS or CIUSSS in charge of your child protection file. If you don’t know where your file is, contact the CISSS or CIUSSS in your region.

These services are offered free of charge by integrated health and social services centres offering protection and rehabilitation services for youths in trouble of adaptation and their families.

Processing requests

Once a request is received, the CISSS or CIUSSS looks for the information in the archives and records of the healthcare institution where the child was born.

The applicant receives a summary of his or her antecedents based on the information contained in the adoption file. At this stage, applicants can receive psychosocial support if they wish or if they fear the information revealed may be upsetting.

If an identity disclosure veto is registered in the file, the information included in the summary protects the identities of:

  • The biological parents;
  • The adopted child;
  • The adoptive parents.

This respect for the anonymity of persons is in accordance with the rules prescribed by the Civil Code of Québec and the Youth Protection Act.

Persons adopted in Québec prior to June 16, 2018

Your identity will remain protected and your personal information will remain confidential. This means, unless you consent to it, your identity cannot be revealed to your biological mother or father if they request it.

If you agree that your identity and your information can be revealed to your biological parents, you must :

  1. Fill out the Withdrawal of an Identity Disclosure Veto or a Contact Veto form;
  2. Print and sign the form;
  3. Send the form and all requested documents to the following address: Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie-Est
    Équipe centralisée info adoption
    575 Adoncour
    Longueuil (Québec) J4G 2M6

Out of a concern for protection of your personal information, requests must be sent by mail. The transmission of personal information by email is not secure and may compromise the confidentiality of your information.

A withdrawal of an identity disclosure veto or a contact veto can be registered at any time.

Since June 16, 2018, you have the right

  • To know your original first and last name, if the information is available and if disclosing this information does not reveal the identity of a parent who has registered an identity disclosure veto

Starting June 16, 2019, you will have the right

  • To know your original first and last names, if the information is available and if disclosing this information does not reveal the identity of a parent who has registered an identity disclosure veto
  • To know the first and last names of your biological mother or father, unless they have refused to allow this information to be disclosed
  • To access information allowing you to contact your biological parents, if this information is available and provided there is no disclosure veto

Quebec adoptees and birth parents: Call 1 888 441-7889 to get instructions and answers to your questions.

Équipe centralisée Info Adoption
575 Adoncour
Longueuil, Qc 
J4G 2M6

Pour information :
Tél. : 1 888 441-7889
Courriel : infoadoption.cisssme16@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Québec.ca/info-adoption

Commonly requested agencies and groups:

Mouvement Retrouvailles is a non-profit organization founded in 1983. It now has more than 13 000 members and maintains offices in all regions of Quebec.  They support people who were affected by an adoption during all stages of their search.

150, Grant – Bureau 201
Longueuil, QC J4H 3H6
Telephone : 450-646-1060  or toll-free 1-888-646-1060

Website: http://www.mouvement-retrouvailles.qc.ca/eng/ressources.asp

email: cfortin@mouvement-retrouvailles.qc.ca

You can find also them on Facebook.

MONTREAL

Batshaw Family Services

Adoption Disclosure Services

5 Weredale

Westmount, Que. H3Z 1Y6.

Telephone: 514-932-7161(English)

Website : Batshaw Family Services

Centre de Services Sociaux Montreal Metropolitain

1001 de Maisonneuve Est

Montreal, Quebec, H2L 4R5

Telephone : 514-896-3100 (French)

 

QUEBEC CITY

Centre de Services Quebec

2915 Bourg. Royal

Beauport, Quebec, G1G 3S2

Telephone: 418-529-7351

HULL/GATINEAU/AYLMER

Centre de Services Outaouais

105 Boul Sacre Coeur

C.P.1250

Hull, Quebec, J8X 1C5

Telephone: 819-771-6631

 

Dec 3, 2023

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25th Anniversary 2006