The information on this page is current as of March 11, 2022. Visit the Government of Canada website for the latest updates on COVID testing requirements, vaccinations, travel restrictions and more.
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Where to get a COVID-19 test in Quebec
Find out where you can buy or book RAT and PCR COVID-19 tests in Quebec.
Omicron is the latest strain of the COVID-19 virus to hit Quebec. With daily case numbers rising, what are your options if you need to get tested?
1. Rapid antigen tests in Quebec
If you need your results as quickly as possible, a rapid antigen test (RAT) is your best option. These kits can be used at home without a medical professional and do not require you to send the test to a lab. Results typically take 10-15 minutes.
The downside of rapid antigen tests are twofold: they are less accurate than a PCR test and cannot be used for travel unless administered or observed by a medical professional within 1 day prior to entering or exiting the country.
Where to buy COVID home testing kits in Canada
- PPE Online - In Stock
- Go Test Rapide - In Stock
- Rapid Test & Trace
- The Canadian Shield
Boson Rapid COVID 19 Antigen Test
IN STOCK
Delivery: 3-7 days
- Antigen test
- Results in 15-20 minutes
- Health Canada approved
Roche SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test
IN STOCK
Delivery: 3-7 days
- Antigen test
- Results in 15 minutes
- Health Canada approved
BTNX Rapid Test
IN STOCK
Delivery: 1-5 days
- Antigen test
- Results in 15 minutes
- Health Canada approved
Boson Rapid SARS CoV-2 Antigen Test
IN STOCK
Delivery: 1-5 days
- Antigen test
- Results in 15-20 minutes
- Health Canada approved
Artron Test
IN STOCK
Delivery: 1-5 days
- Antigen test
- Results in 15-20 minutes
- Health Canada approved
SD Biosensor Rapid Test
IN STOCK
Delivery: 1-5 days
- Antigen test
- Results in 15-30 minutes
- Health Canada approved
Antigen At-Home Tele-Test Service
IN STOCK
Delivery: 1-5 days
- Antigen test
- Administered by health professional via video call
- Results within 1 hour
- Approved for travel to some countries
How it works
If you’re going to a clinic, you’ll take a swab sample under the supervision of a professional or the professional will take it for you. Once the swab is taken, the results can appear in as little as 15 minutes.
If you’re taking an at-home rapid antigen test, you’ll collect your own swab sample from your tonsils, nostrils or both (whichever the instructions specify). Some providers may require that you swab your nose or throat under the supervision of a professional via Zoom or some other video chat service. You’ll be instructed on how to test your sample. Results appear in 10-15 mins. Compare home testing kits below.
Read our guide on rapid antigen tests
Rapid antigen test Montreal
In Montreal, all health-related regulations, including eligibility for Covid-19 tests, mirror the province’s regulations. Rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 are available to the general public at no cost and are available in most pharmacies. Screening clinics are now being reserved for PCR testing for priority groups only.
2. PCR tests in Quebec
A PCR test can also be referred to as a “molecular test”. It’s an accurate and reliable way to diagnose Covid-19. Anyone who needs a test under the Quebec provincial priority testing guidelines can get one at no cost.
You can get a PCR test at a screening clinic. It involves taking a swab from the tonsils, nostrils or both. The swab is then sent to a lab for analysis where it will isolate the RNA (a single-stranded molecule that’s taken from DNA) and mix it with other ingredients to detect the presence of Covid-19. Results from a PCR test usually take 2-5 days to process.
Click here to book a PCR test in Quebec
PCR tests for travel in Quebec
PCR tests are currently required by the government of Canada to travel internationally. Your test must be taken no more than 72 hours before your flight’s scheduled departure time from Canada and you will need to show the airline your negative result prior to check-in. PCR tests for travel are not publicly funded and typically cost anywhere from $100 to around $200. Here is a list of private laboratories that are recognized by the Laboratoire de Santé publique du Québec and have agreed to carry out the tests and issue the certificates prescribed for travellers:
As of February 28, 2022, rapid antigen tests are acceptable for international travel if taken under the supervision of a medical professional within 1 day of entering or exiting Canada.How to book a PCR test before arriving at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport
If you are required to take a Covid-19 test upon arrival in Montreal, you can pre-register with Biron Health Group on their website. Once you arrive at the airport testing area, a healthcare professional will administer the test.
Biron Health will deliver your test sample to its lab for processing. Test results are typically available within 24-48 hours.
What you need to know about PCR tests
3. Can I get a free RAT or PCR Covid test in Quebec?
Anyone who needs a test can get a rapid antigen home kit from a pharmacy at no cost subject to availability. Free PCR tests in screening clinics are being reserved for certain higher priority clients. This means:
- Symptomatic people from the following groups: inpatients, emergency department patients, patient contact health workers, staff, residents, subcontractors providing care and services in contact with users, collective accommodation, outpatients for treatment against COVID-19 to be considered and people who are homeless or in precarious residential conditions
- People from First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and people going to these communities to work there
- People during an admission or transfer to or from a hospital or collective accommodation
- High-risk contacts and asymptomatic or symptomatic individuals in the context of confirmed or suspected outbreaks in high-risk settings
- Asymptomatic people in hospitals, in long-term care establishments and collective accommodation places and establishments, in accordance with provincial guidelines or directives
- Police officers, first responder firefighters, ambulance technicians, school staff and those of the various daycare centers in the absence of rapid tests in the environment
You may also be able to get free rapid antigen COVID tests for your business or organization from the Government of Canada and some provincial/territorial governments.
Large businesses that qualify for free tests and have 200+ employees will be supplied by the federal government. Businesses that qualify and have 0-199 employees will be supplied by provincial/territorial governments. Registered charities, non-profit and Indigenous organizations will be supplied by the Red Cross.
To apply for free tests, visit the federal government’s website and be prepared to provide the following details:
- Name of your organization
- Point of contact for your organization
- Number of employees you employ in Canada
- Provinces and/or territories in which these employees work
Where to buy COVID home testing kits in Canada
⚠️ COVID-19 testing kits ⚠️
We're checking availability for testing kits every hour but these products sell out quickly and prices can change rapidly. Delivery times are estimated by providers but are also subject to change due to courier delays and supply chain issues.
Some sellers charge prices far above the average ("price gouging"). Be vigilant about unusually high prices, and always consider your options carefully before buying.
1 - 2 of 2
- Health Canada COVID-19 rapid testing and screening in workplaces: Get free rapid tests, Last updated 24 Dec 2021
- SANTÉ MONTRÉAL Testing (COVID-19) in MOntreal, January 20, 2022
- Quebec Rapid Home Testing, 2022
- Quebec Get a COVID-19 Test, 2022
- Quebec COVID-19 Screening Platform, 2022
- Quebec Instructions for travel within Canada or internationally (COVID-19), 2022
- Montreal-Trudeau International Airport COVID-19 Test, 2022
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