In Canada, it is not mandatory to vaccinate your children.
However, the provinces of Ontario, New Brunswick and Manitoba have enacted legislation stating that children must be vaccinated in order to attend school.
According to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, parents must provide to their local public health department a written immunization record (or proof of immunization) for diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps and rubella.
Your city’s public health department will assess your child’s immunization records to determine whether or not they are complete. If the immunization records are incomplete, your child can be suspended from school.
Vaccination Exemptions in Ontario
If you live in Ontario and you choose not to have your child vaccinated for religious, medical or philosophical reasons, you are required to sign a “Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief” affidavit in the presence of a notary public or commissioner of oaths.
To obtain a “Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief” form, contact the principal of your child’s school or your local department of public health, and bring it to any Red Seal Notary location for commissioning.
Red Seal Notary has walk-in locations in downtown Toronto, North York, Mississauga and Ottawa. Click here for a complete list of our walk-in locations and office hours.
If you live elsewhere in Ontario, simply call us at 1-888-922-7325 to schedule an appointment, or feel free to complete our online appointment request form.
For more information on immunizing your children, please visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s website.
For more information about Red Seal Notary, please visit our website at www.redsealnotary.com.
We look forward to serving you.
For the vaccine
exemption form,
do both parents
need to be
present?
Dear Katherine,
Thank you for your comment and for your interest in our website.
In answer to your question, if both parents are signing the form, both must be present in front of the Notary, and must bring valid photo ID to present to the Notary. Please note that some Notaries may require you to present two valid IDs, though usually the second need not have a photo.
I hope this information is of assistance.
What’s needed to be
brought besides ID and
“Statement of
Conscience or
Religious Belief” form?
Dear Mai,
Thank you for your comment and for your interest in our website. As you indicated, you require the form, and also photo identification for each parent signing the form. The parent(s) signing the form must also be present to sign in front of the Notary.
I hope this information is of assistance.
are all the school in toronto
accepting children not vaccinated?
Dear Maria,
Although we notarize parents’ statements of conscience or religious belief, we have no information on the policies of individual schools. You would have to contact nearby schools, or perhaps the relevant school board, for further information on their practices.
I’m sorry we can’t be of further help.
Once we have the notarized form , should
parents also provide a copy to the child’s
school and school board on top of sending
to the public health unit? Also, if the parent
selects the option to be exempted from all
mandatory vaccination, would that also
apply if new vaccinations are added after
the date of the form for school children ?
Thank you.
Dear Drea,
Thank you for your comment and for your interest in our website.
We can assist you to have your affidavit sworn or affirmed. However we do not track the regulations and procedures in every jurisdiction with respect to Vaccination Exemption Affidavits.
You may wish to contact your child’s school and/or the local Board of Education, and your local Public Health Unit for their specific requirements and policies.
I hope this is of some assistance.