Birth

Birth registration in Ontario is a two-step process. The first form, the Notice of Live Birth, is completed by the hospital or midwife practice group and submitted to the Office of the Registrar General (Province of Ontario). The second form, the Statement of Live Birth, is completed by parents of newborns using the online Newborn Registration Service or by completing and submitting a paper Statement of Live Birth and mailing it to the Office of the Registrar General.

Birth Registration

When a child is born in Ontario, their birth needs to be registered with the Government of Ontario, within 30 days. Registration is free and can be done online. Processing and delivery times are approximately 6 to 8 weeks by mail and there is no cost. When the registration is completed, the birth certificate should be filed. If you are registering the birth online, you can register through the 5-in-1 Newborn Bundle which allows you to register the birth, register for a birth certificate, SIN number, CCB, and RESP referral for the newborn at the same time.

Get or replace an Ontario birth certificate

A birth certificate is a record of a birth that happened in Ontario. It is a government document that can be used as proof of identity. You can order an Ontario birth certificate online, in-person (at 47 Sheppard Avenue, Toronto location only), by mail or by fax. Ontario birth certificates can only be issued for people whose births are/were registered in Ontario.

5-in-1 Newborn Bundle

The 5-in-1 Newborn Bundle is the easiest way to register your newborn’s birth and the fastest way to apply for their birth certificate, Canada Child Benefit, Social Insurance Number, and receive an RESP referral all at the same time.

Getting married in Ontario

To get married in Ontario, you need to be at least 16 years old. If you are under 18 years old, you will need written consent from both your parents. To ensure that your marriage is performed properly and legally, an authorized official needs to marry you. You must apply for and receive get a marriage license before the marriage ceremony. You will receive your marriage certificate approximately 10 weeks after the ceremony.

Marriage License

A marriage license is required to get married in Ontario. If you have the required identification and applicable documents, it will take approximately 20-30 minutes to process your application and issue the license or for faster service, apply online. The license can be used anywhere in the province of Ontario. Once issued a marriage license is valid for 90 days. The cost of a marriage license is $145 (HST does not apply)

Wedding Chamber

You can book a wedding chamber online or in-person at one of our offices. The City has three wedding chambers located at North York, Scarborough and York Civic Centre. The fee is $117.10 for 30-minute booking (HST included)

North York Civic Centre: 5100 Yonge St. Lower Level

Scarborough Civic Centre: 150 Borough Dr.

York Civic Centre: 2700 Eglinton Ave. W

Record of solemnization

A marriage certificate is different from a marriage license, which you get before you get married. It is also different from a Record of Solemnization of Marriage, which your officiant might give you after your marriage ceremony. The Record of Solemnization of Marriage is not a legal record of your marriage.

Marriage Certificate

A marriage certificate is the legal record of a marriage. It lists the date and place of the marriage, and names of the people who were married. The officiant must forward your marriage license to the Office of the Registrar General to be registered.  Once it has been registered, you can apply for a marriage certificate. You should apply within 1 year of your marriage, or you will have to pay a higher fee. You can apply for your marriage certificate online, by mail, fax or in person.  It costs $15 with regular delivery service.

Death

Reporting and Registering a Death

Depending on the circumstances of the death, there are different people you need to contact. If the death was expected, you should call the health care provider for the deceased person. If the death was unexpected, you must call emergency services first. If there is no doctor or emergency services in your area, you should contact the Coroner’s Office. If someone you know passed away in Ontario, you can apply for a death certificate any time after the death is registered. To register a death, a funeral director submits 2 documents to a municipal clerk’s office.

Death Certificate

The death certificate is issued by each province. You can apply for a death certificate and the cost is $ 15 for a File-size Death Certificate and $22 for a Certified Death Certificate.

Name Change

To request a formal name change in Ontario, there are a variety of forms to consider, dependent upon the person requesting the official name change.

Name Change Application

There are two types of application forms that can be used to submit your name change; you should double-check which form applies to your situation when applying.

• Application for adults: 16 years and older (condition: must have lived in Ontario for the past 12 months)
• Application for minors: Children under 17 years of age

(*Applicants between the age of 16-17 have the option of using either the application form for adults or the application form for minors, and have the advantage of selecting the one that is most suitable for their situation)

You can submit the completed form, payment and required documents either by mail or in person at a certain Service Ontario Centres.

• If submitting in person
  Service Ontario
  47 Sheppard Avenue East, Unit 417, 4th Floor
  Toronto, ON M2N 5N1
• If submitting by mail
  Office of the Registrar General
  PO Box 3000
  189 Red River Rd, 3rd Floor
  Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5W0

Fee

• Per applicant: $137
• If a minor under 17 is applying for a name change along with their parents : $ 22 (for the minor only)

After the name change

The following documents must be modified.

• Driver’s License
• Health Card
• Ontario Photo Card (if applicable)
• Vehicle Registration
• Ontario Outdoors Card (if applicable)
• Other information (CRA, work, school, bank etc.)