Claiming a prize

2. Watch the customer message display on the terminal.
   When you validate your ticket, the terminal display should be visible at all times. It will tell you if your ticket is a winner and how much you’ve won.
   
   
3. Ask for your ticket and the matching validation slip.
   As soon as your ticket has been validated, the retailer has to return your ticket and the matching validation slip printed from the terminal. Make sure the control number on your ticket corresponds to the one on the validation slip.

Who can help?

We recognize that each winner’s dreams, needs and situation are unique, so we have kept the following suggestions general.

In most cases, winners of large sums of money do not experience an overnight change in their daily life.

Two rules of thumb:

• Give yourself some time to think things through before making decisions.
• Once you’ve made up your mind, seek the services of reputable accredited professionals from established organizations.

Where to start

Should your cheque be lost or stolen, just notify Loto-Québec. We will take the necessary steps to issue a stop payment on the cheque and issue you a new one.

We recommend that you deposit your cheque at your bank branch, not at an ATM.

The first step, which is both prudent and profitable, is to deposit your check in a short-term certificate of deposit. This way, the time you take to reflect will bear fruit to your winnings, as these certificates generally offer better interest rates than a regular savings account.

Who does what?

Loto-Québec is not a financial planning consultant company. Our mandate does not include this type of service. However, we can certainly help winners by informing them of the kind of expertise to which they might want to turn. Many resources offering sound advice are at your disposal.

• Accountant or professional financial planner
• Lawyer
• Notary (in French only)
• Financial institutions, banks, credit unions, savings and credit cooperatives, and trust corporations

Get information about the services offered by your financial institution and other institutions. Compare the interest rates of different types of investments in effect at the various institutions.

It’s up to you to determine your needs and find out about fees. Fees at trust corporations can be negotiable, depending on the size of your portfolio and the services rendered.

Whatever your decision, we recommend you monitor your investments closely.

By signing the ticket, the winner consents to the publication by Loto-Québec of his name, of his region and of his photograph, if Loto-Québec deems it appropriate. This rule is one of the conditions of participating in the game and allows Loto-Québec to provide the public with proof of the prizes won by consumers. It is a question of fundamental transparency.

As a winner of a major prize, you may be asked, depending on advertising needs, to take part in a photo session and a brief interview about the circumstances surrounding your win. The following rules apply to the photo session:

• The winner’s face must be uncovered
• Overt theatrics are not permitted
• Loto-Québec may require photo ID to confirm the winner’s usual appearance

If a winner refuses to comply with these rules, Loto-Québec reserves the right to suspend prize payment. The same rules apply to prizes claimed by mail.

The information gathered may be used to write a press release sent to the media. In some cases, your stroke of luck could be advertised on Loto-Québec’s web site and intranet, on the digital displays at some of our points of sale and via any other communications network, including social media.

In order to mitigate as much as possible any potential inconvenience to winners, Loto-Québec applies the following rules:

• A 5-working day delay is applied between the time a major prize is claimed and the disclosure to the media of information concerning the winner, except if it has already been broadcast in the media. This period allows you to catch your breath and take the steps of your choice (notify family and employer, meet with a financial adviser, change telephone numbers, install an alarm system, plan a trip, etc.).
• Aside from the winner’s name and photograph, information released remains of a general nature. For example, we will indicate the winner’s region rather than the town or village, the type of work instead of the actual place of work, and no details will be revealed concerning family status, the number and age of children, etc.
• Loto-Québec Customer Service staff provide winner with guidance. In addition to receiving advice and documentation, millionaires are able to reach a Customer Service staff member by telephone. Furthermore, the staff member who greeted a top prize winner will place a follow-up call one month later to enquire about the winner’s new situation.
• Loto-Québec and the winner may agree to hold a press conference. Loto-Québec will explain to you in advance the pros and cons of such an event. Should you meet with reporters at the time you claim your prize or hold a press conference, you can count on the assistance of our personnel. Do not let yourself be intimidated by reporters and don’t hesitate to refuse to answer any question you feel is inappropriate.

Although Loto-Québec reserves the right to publish, for advertising purposes, the name, region of residence and photograph of any winner, by virtue of the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information (R.S.Q. c. A-2.1), the Corporation may not, under any circumstances, disclose any list of winners directly to the public.

Lottery winnings are not taxable. Therefore no federal or provincial taxes are payable on the winnings themselves. However, revenue generated by this capital (interest or other revenue) is taxable.

Taxation laws on investment income are complex. Taxation measures vary according to circumstances and type of investment. A person who wins a large sum in a lottery may benefit from the services of a tax specialist or the help of an agent from Québec’s Ministry of Revenue or the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

Money given by winners of a prize to anyone, whether spouse, loved-ones or anyone else, is not taxable. Individuals who receive such gifts do not have to declare these sums as taxable income. However, if the recipient is a resident of Canada, he must declare revenue from interest and other profits generated by such gifts or by goods acquired with these gifts.

In the case of gifts made to a spouse or a minor (a person under 18 years of age, having a relationship of dependence with the winner, or a nephew or niece), the winner retains full responsibility for profits or losses resulting from such gifts. Thus, the winner is required to include, when calculating his or her personal income, profits or losses resulting from sums thus bestowed.

Winners are subject to this law so long as they reside in Canada, are married to the person to whom they have given money, and until the minor to whom they have given money has reached the age of majority.

Keep in mind

Certain other details could come into play. Therefore, we recommend consulting a tax expert on this subject.

Lottery winnings and family patrimony
Lottery winnings and interest accrued on them are not considered to be part of the family estate. Consult a professional (a notary or lawyer) for more information on this subject.

Gifts to charitable organizations
Donations made to charitable organizations are tax exempt.

Once again, tax credits for the sum of donations given over the course of a given year are subject to certain rules. Therefore, it is advisable to seek professional advice on this subject.

As a winner, you may be contacted by strangers asking for financial assistance or a charitable donation. Such solicitations need to be handled with caution, especially those made verbally.

It is important not to accede to this type of request without knowing more about the person or organization making the request. Check to make sure they are who they claim to be. Ask the organization to submit a written request and to provide details on its activities, purpose and the causes supported, in addition to its registration number as a charitable organization, which is issued by tax authorities. Be especially wary of people who pressure you to make a decision.

Lottery winnings and government benefits
If you receive social assistance, a disability pension or any other form of government benefit, you must inform the appropriate authorities about the win as soon as possible. Be sure to ask for all necessary information on the impact the win will have on your beneficiary status, and seek legal advice as necessary.