Vaccine Exemptions

By law in Ontario

Public Health must have an up-to-date immunization record or valid exemption on file for each child attending:

These laws require reporting one's choice. One choice is to stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations and report these vaccinations to Public Health. The other choice is to get and report an exemption.

Follow the instructions on this page to make sure the exemption is applied to your child's immunization record.

Important notice

Once an exemption has been applied, Public Health will not contact you about missing vaccines. This means your child will not receive any vaccination reminders. If your intention is to get your child vaccinated in the future, you can:

  • Cancel the exemption, or
  • Ask your health care provider what vaccinations your child needs or
  • Contact the Vaccine Team about a catch up schedule for missed vaccines

How do I

  • Protect my unvaccinated child

    Our immune system uses vaccines to practise fighting germs so it knows what to do when faced with them.

    Ontario's vaccination schedule for babies and toddlers and children at school protects your child when they are at most risk for those germs. Missing vaccinations puts your child at high risk of infection. Infection from certain disease can lead to serious, and sometimes fatal, outcomes.

    Without vaccines to keep your child safe, it's critical for you to:

    • Make sure the people surrounding your child are up-to-date with their vaccinations

    Consider other possible implications for your child's future:

    • Missing out on child care, school or other activities. In the event of an outbreak, Public Health notifies children at risk and may exclude them from child care or school for their protection until the risk of infection is over. In Niagara, this was done in 2015 for measles and 2017 for mumps.
    • Some volunteer applications may request proof of vaccination
    • Admission requirements for college and university programs. Check and see if up-to-date vaccinations are required, such as medical, child and youth care, education placements or practicum courses.

    If you're unsure, we're here to help. Contact the Vaccine Team.

  • Complete the exemption process for my school aged child

    Exemptions for the Immunization of School Pupils Act fall under the Ontario Ministry of Health.

    Statement of Medical Exemption

    Sometimes there is evidence a child is immune to a disease, making further vaccination unnecessary. Other times, a medical condition may prevent a child from receiving a vaccination.

    All three steps must be completed in the following order:

    1. Download and complete the Ontario Ministry of Health's Statement of Medical Exemption (Immunization of School Pupils Act). If you're unable to access the form, contact the Vaccine Team to have one emailed or mailed to you.
    2. Have a physician or nurse practitioner complete the form. Keep a copy for your personal records.
    3. Submit the original completed Statement of Medical Exemption to Public Health. See under 'Submit exemption information to Public Health'.

    Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief process

    To receive a vaccine exemption for a school aged child, the Ontario Ministry of Health requires the parent / legal guardian to complete a video education session and get a Vaccine Education Certificate, which is submitted with a commissioned Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavit.

    All five steps must be completed in the following order:

    1. Complete the Ontario Ministry of Health's required video education session. The same parent / legal guardian who completes the Ontario Ministry of Health's video education session needs to complete the exemption form and have it signed by the Commissioner for Taking Affidavits.
    2. Notify Public Health that you've completed the Ontario Ministry of Health's video education session
      • Call the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Program at 905-688-8248 ext. 7425 to speak with a nurse and verbally confirm you have watched the video
      • Once Public Health has received your confirmation, a Vaccine Education Certificate will be mailed to your home address. Please keep this certificate with your health records.
    3. Download and complete the Ontario Ministry of Health's Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief (Immunization of School Pupils Act). You will need one form for each child that needs an exemption. If you're unable to access the form, contact the Vaccine Team  to have one emailed or mailed to you.
    4. Have the Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form signed by a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits. Keep a copy of the commissioned Affidavit for your records.
    5. Submit the original completed Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavit to Public Health. See under 'Submit exemption information to Public Health'.

    Applying the exemption

    To make sure your exemption is applied to your child's immunization record:

    • The parent / legal guardian completing the form should be the same parent / legal guardian signing the form in front of the Commissioner for Taking Affidavits. No one else can do this on your behalf. Please use your legal name in all three sections (page 1 Parent / Legal Guardian Information, page two Affidavit and Signature sections.
    • Complete all fillable sections as indicated on the exemption form and don't make any alterations. Niagara Region Public Health is unable to accept an incomplete commissioned Affidavit or one that has section(s) crossed out or additional printing added.
    • Confirm that your child's name is correct on the exemption form. Use their legal name, not an initial or nickname. Ensure that it is spelled correctly. If their last name is hyphenated, include the full last name when completing "Pupil's Last Name" on page one.
    • Confirm that your name as parent / legal guardian is correct. Use your legal name, not an initial or nickname. If your last name is hyphenated, include the full last name when completing "Parent / Legal Guardian Information" on page one. Your full legal name also needs to be written out on page two under the "Affidavit" heading.
    • Confirm your child's date of birth is correct on the exemption form. Double check you have used the correct year, month and day for the child you are requesting the exemption for.
    • Select the designated ISPA (Immunization of School Pupils Act) diseases you want your child to have a vaccine exemption for. Make sure you have completed the relevant box(es) on page two.

    Commissioned Affidavit

    The exemption can't be applied to your child's immunization record:

    • If the commissioned Affidavit has been altered in any way (such as a section crossed out, writing added, even if the parent / legal guardian has initialled the change). The Statement of Conscience and Religious Belief Affidavit is a regulated form prescribed under the Immunization of School Pupils Act. Parents / legal guardians cannot modify it.
    • If you have not completed the Ministry of Health's required video education session and obtained a Vaccine Education Certificate. The oath on page two of the Statement of Conscience and Religious Belief form asks you to affirm: "I have completed the required immunization education session as demonstrated by submitting a copy of the Vaccine Education Certificate." The same parent / legal guardian who watched the Ministry of Health's vaccine education video needs to complete the exemption form and have it signed by the Commissioner for Taking Affidavits.
  • Get an exemption for my child in child care

    Exemptions for the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 fall under the Ministry of Education.

    Child care exemption forms expire when your child enters school in September. At that time, you will need to complete the exemption process for your school aged child.

    Statement of Medical Exemption

    Sometimes there is evidence a child is immune to a disease, making further vaccination unnecessary. Other times, a medical condition may prevent a child from receiving a vaccination.

    All three steps must be completed in the following order:

    1. Download and complete the Ontario Ministry of Education's Statement of Medical Exemption (Child Care and Early Years Act). If you're unable to access the form, contact the Vaccine Team to have one emailed or mailed to you.
    2. Have a physician or nurse practitioner complete the form. Keep a copy for your personal records.
    3. Submit the original completed Statement of Medical Exemption to your licensed child care operator. Licensed child care operators send a copy to Public Health so we can apply it to your child's immunization record.

    Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief process

    All three steps must be completed in the following order:

    1. Download and complete the Ontario Ministry of Education's Statement of Medical Exemption (Child Care and Early Years Act). If you're unable to access the form, contact the Vaccine Team to have one emailed or mailed to you.
    2. Have it signed by a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits. Keep a copy of the commissioned Affidavit for your records.
    3. Provide the original completed Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavit to your licensed child care operator. Licensed child care operators send a copy to Public Health so we can apply it to your child’s immunization record.

    Applying the exemption

    To make sure your exemption is applied to your child's immunization record:

    • Complete all fillable sections as indicated on the exemption and don't make any alterations. Niagara Region Public Health is unable to accept an incomplete form or one that has section(s) crossed out or additional printing added.
    • Confirm that your name as parent / legal guardian is correct. Use your legal name, not an initial or nickname. If your last name is hyphenated, include the full last name when completing "parent of the following named child" on the top of page one.
    • Confirm that your child's name is correct on the exemption form. Use their legal name, not an initial or nickname. Ensure that it is spelled correctly. If their last name is hyphenated, include the full last name.
    • Confirm your child's date of birth is correct on the exemption form. Double check you have used the correct year, month and day for the child you are requesting the exemption for.

    Commissioned Affidavit

    The exemption can't be applied to your child's immunization record:

    • If the commissioned Affidavit has been altered in any way (such as a section crossed out, writing added, even if the parent / legal guardian has initialled the change). The Statement of Conscience and Religious Belief form is a regulated document prescribed under the Child Care and Early Years Act. Parents / legal guardians cannot modify it.
  • Know what exemption(s) my child needs if they go to school AND child care

    If your child attends both school AND child care, you may need to complete BOTH exemption forms. Confirm with your child care provider if they need the exemption form for children also attending school.

    When your child leaves child care to start school. If you previously submitted an exemption form to Public Health for your child when they attended a licensed childcare facility, it is no longer valid. Child care exemption forms expire when the child enters school in September.

    You will now need to complete the exemption process for your school aged child. See 'Complete the exemption process for my school aged child'.

  • Find a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits

    For your child to be exempted due to conscience or religious belief, you must complete the appropriate form and get it signed by a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits in Ontario.

    Start by calling Niagara Region at 905-980-6000 or 1-800-263-7215 to book an appointment with a Commissioner for Taking for Affidavits. This service is free through the Office of the Regional Clerk, Niagara Region.

    You could also contact your city / town. There may be a fee charged for this service. You will need to:

    • Confirm if your city / town has a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits who does Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavits
    • Check if there is a cost and what methods of payment they take
    • Find out if an appointment is needed
    • Learn what photo identification is required

    Make sure your Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavit gets applied to your child's immunization record. Before you see a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits, be sure you have followed all instructions that apply for your child under:

    • Complete the exemption process for your school aged child (Immunization of School Pupils Act)
    • Get an exemption for my child in child care (Child Care and Early Years Act)
  • Submit exemption information to Public Health

    To submit exemption information to Public Health, you can:

    Drop off

    Write "Attention VPD" on sealed envelope
    Drop off at a Public Health office from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
    Thorold / St. Catharines Public Health offices
    Niagara Falls Public Health offices
    Welland Public Health offices

    Mail

    Write "Attention VPD" on the envelope
    P.O. Box 1052, Station Main
    Thorold, ON L2V 0A2

    Fax

    905-688-8225

    Email

    Email the Vaccine Preventable Disease Program

    When all the information has been received, Niagara Region Public Health will apply the exemption to your child's immunization record. For children attending school, this means they will no longer risk suspension.

    If all the information has not been received, Niagara Region Public Health will contact you. This may be in the form of a mailed letter (for example, an Immunization Reminder Notice or an Order for Suspension from Attendance at School), phone call or email.

  • Find out why the exemption has not been applied to my child's immunization record

    Exemptions are applied to a child's immunization record when all the information has been received.

    If you previously submitted an exemption form to Public Health for your child when they attended a licensed childcare facility, it's no longer valid. Child care exemption forms expire when the child enters school in September. You will now need to complete the exemption process for your school aged child.

    To find out why the exemption has not been applied to your child's immunization record, call Public Health at 905-688-8248 or 1-888-505-6074 ext. 7425. You can also double check that you followed all the instructions that apply to your child under:

    • Complete the exemption process for your school aged child (Immunization of School Pupils Act)
    • Get an exemption for my child in child care (Child Care and Early Years Act)
  • Cancel an exemption

    If a medical exemption no longer applies, or if you changed your mind and want to get your child vaccinated, contact the Vaccine Team and we'll help you with a vaccine catch up schedule for your child.

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