The town is in the Red-Control level under the new provincial COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open. Provincial orders remain in effect and we must all follow public health guidelines.
Did you know that a marriage licence is required to get married on Ontario? A marriage licence can be used anywhere in Ontario, and must be used within 90 days from the date it was issued.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Town Hall remains closed to the public until further notice.
However, the town has resumed marriage licence application services by appointment only, with some restrictions in place to ensure the health and safety of applicants and town staff. Appointments will be available Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
You must schedule an appointment to receive your marriage licence. To be eligible for an appointment, the intended date of your marriage must be finalized and you must have an officiant that has agreed to perform the marriage. If your marriage service is cancelled and you are unable to reschedule, you will need to purchase a new marriage licence if the licence is not used within 90 days from the date it was issued.
Before town staff schedule your appointment, you will need to answer some eligibility questions by phone or email to ensure that your application can be processed. Given the COVID-19 precautions we have put in place to issue marriage licences in a safe way, only one applicant is permitted to attend appointments.
When you arrive at Town Hall for your scheduled appointment, you will be required to complete a COVID-19 health screening form. If you do not successfully meet the screening criteria, you will not be allowed to enter the building and your appointment will be cancelled.
You will receive your marriage licence at the end of your appointment, which usually takes 20 to 30 minutes, if all of your documentation is complete and you provide acceptable identification. No photocopies or scanned documents will be accepted.
To apply for and receive your marriage licence, please follow these steps:
Two pieces of original, current and valid identification must be presented for each applicant at the appointment. One of the acceptable pieces of government-issued ID must include a current photo and signature. Accepted pieces of ID include:
It is very important that the first and last names match exactly on the two pieces of ID that are presented for each applicant (this includes spaces, hyphens and apostrophes). To have your middle name included on your marriage licence, it must also appear on both pieces of ID. Initials used as a first name cannot be accepted.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. Under-age applicants 16 or 17 years of age, require both parents/guardian to complete Form 6 – Consent of Parent or Guardian to Marriage, which must be completed and signed in front of a Commissioner of Oaths. The applicant must bring this commissioned form to their scheduled appointment.
If you or your partner were previously married and the marriage was dissolved or annulled within Canada, the original or court-certified copy of the Decree Absolute or Certificate of Divorce must be presented with your application when applying for a marriage licence. A divorce judgment or order is not acceptable. If you do not have the Certificate of Divorce, you will need to contact the court where the divorce was granted in order to obtain one. Visit the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General for a full list of Ontario court addresses.
If you or your partner were previously divorced outside of Canada, authorization from the Office of the Registrar General must be obtained before a marriage licence can be issued. Please visit ServiceOntario for more information or visit the Clerk's department to pick up a foreign divorce package.
Given the COVID-19 precautions we have put in place to issue marriage licences in a safe way, only one person is permitted to attend appointments. Interpreter services will be available to the applicant through Language Line if required.
Did you know that the town performs civil (non-religious) marriage ceremonies? Visit the Civil Marriage Ceremonies page to find out what you need to know to plan yours.
For information on who can perform religious ceremonies, visit Service Ontario.
Due to COVID-19, the town is only issuing permits to conduct wedding ceremonies at at the Butterfly Gazebo in Bronte, the Picnic Shelter A at Coronation Park and at Nottinghill Park.
For information visit the weddings page.
Due to COVID-19, the town is only issuing permits for wedding photography for Erchless Estate and Gairloch Gardens.
Learn more by visiting the photography in parks page.
Couples must wait a minimum of 11 to 13 weeks after the marriage ceremony to request the marriage certificate from the Province of Ontario. The province does not send the certificate automatically. This is the legal record of the marriage. The couple must initiate the request for a marriage certificate by visiting the ServiceOntario website. A hard copy of the request form is also available for pickup from our Clerk’s department.