Among the variables that have a specific influence on the spread of HIV in Quebec are geographical factors, risk behavior, and difficulties involved in funding prevention programs. The AIDS epidemic in Quebec is different in comparison with the other Canadian provinces: many cases were transmitted through heterosexual relations, many cases affect heterosexual partners of infected individuals or individuals exhibiting risk behavior tendencies, and a large portion of the cases occur among intravenous drug users (IVDUs). Innovative strategies will have to be found in order to educate homosexuals and individuals from areas where heterosexual transmission and risk behavior are prevalent. The seroprevalence rate among IVDUs is alarming. The proposed needle exchange program in Montreal is urgently needed and must be encouraged and supported. The pool of infected individuals within these populations is large. An AIDS curriculum is needed in high schools and specific interventions must be designed for teenagers who do not attend school. The government must continue in its fight against AIDS without neglecting those already suffering from the disease. 5 references.