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Ontario Assembly Bill

Ontario Bill 87

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
March 27, 2023
Vital Statistics Amendment Act, 2023
  • This is a summary of a law called Bill 87, which was passed in 2023 to amend the Vital Statistics Act in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of the amendment is to provide greater access to information related to adoptions. The key changes include: 1. Definition of Next of Kin: The amendment clarifies that the term "next of kin" of an adopted person refers to their child, grandchild, great-grandchild, or other descendant. Similarly, the term "next of kin" of a birth parent of an adopted person refers to their child, grandchild, great-grandchild, or other descendant, parent, or sibling. 2. Sharing of Information: If a child born in another province or territory of Canada has been adopted in Ontario, the Registrar General may enter into an agreement with the relevant authority in that province or territory to share information related to the adoption. 3. Access to Information: The amendment specifies that an adopted person or the next of kin of a deceased adopted person must be at least 18 years old to apply for uncertified copies of their adoption records. The applicant must provide evidence of their identity, age, and, if applicable, the adopted person's death. Similar age restrictions and requirements apply to birth parents or the next of kin of deceased birth parents seeking information. 4. Disclosure Veto: If an adopted person or birth parent has submitted a disclosure veto, the Registrar General is prohibited from disclosing information to certain individuals specified in the veto. 5. Contact Preferences: An adopted person who is at least 18 years old can submit a notice to the Registrar General specifying their preferences for contact with their birth parent or the next of kin of the birth parent. Similarly, a birth parent can submit a notice specifying their preferences for contact with the adopted person or the next of kin of the adopted person. 6. Sharing of Information with Other Provinces or Territories: The Registrar General may enter into agreements with authorities responsible for adoption registrations in other provinces or territories of Canada to share information necessary for determining disclosure vetoes or contact preferences. 7. Offences: It is an offence for an adopted person, birth parent, or any other person to knowingly contact or attempt to contact someone who has expressed a desire not to be contacted. The penalty for contravening this provision is a fine. The law comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent and is titled the Vital Statistics Amendment Act, 2023.
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