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Québec care pathways

If your HIV self-test result is negative

If your HIV self-test result is negative, you can call or connect with:

These services can give you information on PrEP, PEP and harm reduction. They can also help with information on sexual health, additional testing for other sexually transmitted infections, or with assistance in finding community-based organizations and local primary healthcare providers for STBBI information and care.

Accessing PrEP in Québec

The maprep.org website supports people who are wondering if PrEP is right for them and is full of useful PrEP information. You can also consult your Family Physician or call Info-Santé 811.

Accessing PEP in Québec

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a way to help prevent HIV from being transmitted to an HIV-negative person who may have been exposed to the virus. For urgent support, contact Info-Santé 811.

You must start PEP within 72 hours of being exposed. This is different from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which you start taking before and continue taking after being exposed to HIV.

If your HIV self-test result is positive

These services can connect you to HIV confirmatory testing, treatment and care, harm reduction. You can also contact them for information on sexual health, additional testing for other sexually transmitted infections, or for help with finding local primary healthcare providers.

For medical services, consult or connect with:

Community-based organizations can also support you with information and connections to care. Contact:

About HIV confirmatory testing

You should see a healthcare provider as soon as possible to tell them that your result was positive so you can get the information and support you need to take care of your health. The self-test you took is a highly accurate screening test, however all HIV self-test positive results need to be confirmed by a lab test that your healthcare provider can order to give you a formal HIV diagnosis.

While there is no cure for HIV, HIV is treatable. People with HIV on treatment can live long, healthy lives. The medications used to treat HIV are called antiretrovirals. They prevent the virus from replicating and slow the disease’s progress. Starting antiretroviral therapy early can lower the virus in you to an undetectable level so that you can stay healthy, and so that you can’t transmit the virus to others. 

In Québec, you can request HIV confirmatory testing from your primary care provider, or from:

  • Family health clinics
  • CLSC
  • Clinics that are specialized in sexual health
  • Family planning clinics
  • Youth clinics (usually for youth 25 and under)
  • Integrated testing and prevention services for STIs (SIDEP, reserved for clients who are vulnerable to STIs)

About HIV treatment and care

To learn more about HIV and HIV treatment, visit the Portail VIH/sida du Québec.

To speak to a community health worker about HIV and its treatment, call 1 877 767-8245 or 514 523-4636 (Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 5 pm) or email info@pvsq.org or treatment@accmontreal.org.

To speak with a healthcare professional, contact:

If your HIV self-test result is invalid

If the HIV self-test results are invalid (i.e., no visible control dot), this means that the test did not work. If this happens, you should repeat the self-test with a new test kit and pay close attention to the instructions for use to ensure that the test is done correctly.

You can also, call, connect or consult:

Sexual health and other STBBI testing services

For support with sexual health and information on services for safer sex practices, contact:

Harm reduction services

For support with harm reduction and information on services for people who use substances, contact: