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Vaccine Exemptions/Affidavits

Vaccination is the best way to protect children from serious diseases such as measles, polio, diphtheria and tetanus in Canada and across the world. Vaccines are safe and effective by helping the immune system learn how to protect itself against disease. As a parent, you can keep your children healthy by following Ontario’s Routine Immunization Schedule.

Understanding the law

To keep our communities safe, immunizations are required under the Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA)and the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) for children to attend child care and school in Ontario.

Some children are not immunized because of medical or non-medical reasons. To exempt your child, please review the information below:

Disease outbreaks at school
If your child is not immunized and there is a disease outbreak at your child’s school, the Medical Officer of Health may exclude your child from attending school until the outbreak is declared over. This is done to protect your child’s health.

School-Aged Children (4-17 years old)

Since immunizations are required by law for children 4 to 17 years of age to attend school in Ontario, a legal affidavit is required if children are not going to be immunized. There are two types of exemptions for school-aged children: non-medical exemption (for philosophical/conscience belief) and medical exemptions

Non-Medical Exemption (Philosophical/Conscience Belief)

This type of exemption requires both an affidavit and completion of a mandatory Immunization Education Session. Please follow the steps outlined below.

  • Watch the mandatory Immunization Education video that covers:
    • Basic information about immunization
    • Vaccine safety
    • Immunization and community health
    • Immunization law in Ontario
  • Complete the follow up survey and submit to Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH).

CLICK HERE TO START THE IMMUNIZATION EDUCATION SESSION

NOTE:  If you are submitting an exemption for more than one child, you must only watch the video and complete the survey once. A Vaccine Education Certificate will be emailed to you for your records. A parent who completes the education session will not be required to do it again should they choose to exempt another child in the future.

  1. Watch the mandatory Immunization Education video – CLICK HERE TO START THE IMMUNIZATION EDUCATION SESSION.
  2. Complete the ISPA Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief (hyperlink to document Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief – Immunization of School Pupils Act – Forms – Central F…
  3. Take the completed form and the Vaccine Education Certificate (emailed to you once you have completed the video and survey) to a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits (see Signing the Affidavit below) to have it signed and stamped.
  4. Bring the original affidavit and Vaccine Education Certificate to Grand Erie Public Health, Simcoe office (185 Robinson St) or Caledonia office (100 Haddington St). We will take a copy, and it will be entered into the provincial database (Please note this may take up to 2 business days). 
  5. It is your responsibility after you have presented the original to Public Health and it has been entered into the database to keep the original until your child is 18 years of age.

NOTE: the school does not require a copy of this form. All exemptions are managed through the public health unit.

Once Grand Erie Public Health has confirmed of the completion of the Immunization Education Session and received the original affidavit, the exemption will be entered into the provincial database. It is a valid exemption for any school in Ontario

Medical Exemption

  1. If your child cannot be immunized because of medical reasons, you must have a doctor or nurse practitioner complete a Statement of Medical Exemption (School Pupils) Form.

NOTE: Completion the Immunization Education Session is not required for a medical exemption.

2. Make a copy of the affidavit for your personal records and then drop off the original affidavit to Grand Erie Public Health, Simcoe office (185 Robinson St).

Note: the school does not require a copy of this form. All exemptions are managed through the public health unit.

 

Exemptions for Children in Licensed Child Care Centres (0-4 years old)

Non-Medical Exemption (Philosophical/Conscious Belief)

  1. Complete the Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief for the Child Care and Early Years Act. This Affidavit is for children who are not yet in school and are 4 years of age and younger. Completing the Immunization Education Session is not required for an exemption under the Child Care and Early Years Act. Once the child is attending school, a separate form must be signed and notarized and parents must complete a mandatory Immunization Education session.
  2. Make a copy of the affidavit for your personal records and a copy for the licensed childcare center to have on file. Then drop off the original affidavit to the Grand Erie Public Health location.

Medical Exemption

  1. If your child cannot be immunized because of medical reasons, you must have a doctor or nurse practitioner complete a Statement of Medical Exemption (Child Care and Early Years) Form. Please note that completing the Immunization Education Session is not required for this medical exemption.
  2. Make a copy of the affidavit for your personal records and a copy for the licensed childcare center to have on file. Then mail in or drop off the original affidavit to: Grand Erie Public Health, Simcoe office (185 Robinson St).

Signing the Affidavit

Fill out the form with the child’s information. For the ISPA exemption, check off which vaccines you would like the child to be exempt from receiving. Have the affidavit signed and stamped by a commissioner of oaths, notary public or a justice of the peace. The information stated on the affidavit cannot be altered in any way.

Commissioner of Oaths
A Commissioner of Oaths is a person authorized to take your oath in person when you sign the legal affidavit, stating that you are signing the form for your child for the purpose for which the form is intended. Commissioners of Oaths are:

  • Regional Clerk or Deputy Regional Clerk
  • City Clerk or Deputy Clerk
  • Treasurer or Deputy Treasurers of municipalities
  • Justices of the Peace
  • Lawyers
  • Licensed Paralegals
  • MP
  • MPP
  • Some staff at Service Ontario Government Information Centres (some of these commissioners may choose not to sign exemption forms).

NOTE: There may be a cost to have the form signed and photo ID will be required.

 

Contact Us

 

contact

Email — [email protected]

Phone — 519-900-9600 Ext. 3214

Fax — 519-426-9246