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Middlesex-London Health Unit

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Vaccine Exemptions

Immunizations help to stop the spread of disease. In Ontario, children and students need certain immunizations to keep childcare centres and schools healthy places to learn and play. Sometimes, a child or student may not be immunized for medical or personal reasons – this is called an immunization “exemption.”

 

Questions

If you have any questions after reviewing this information, please call 519-663-5317 and ask to speak to a nurse on the Vaccine Preventable Disease team.

 

Ontario Laws

Immunizations help to prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases in childcare and school settings. In Ontario, two laws outline the immunization reporting requirements for children to go to licensed child care, elementary and secondary school:

  1. Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA), Section 35(1) of O. Reg. 137/2015
  2. Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) R.S.O. 1990

For children and students to attend license child care, elementary and secondary school, the *Health Unit must have either:

  • An immunization record with all the mandatory immunizations based on age
  • A filed exemption

*License child care operators also require the record or exemption.

Types of Exemptions

A child or student may be exempt from immunization reporting requirements for either of the following two reasons:

Medical This type of exemption needs to be completed by a doctor or nurse practitioner and is for:
  • Children or students who have a medical condition, are taking certain medications, or have a severe allergy that prevents them from getting immunized
  • Children or students who have “immunity” to a certain disease, making immunization not needed
Non-medical This type of exemption is for all reasons that are not medical and must be signed by the parent/legal guardian in front of a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits, such as:
  • A Regional Clerk or Deputy Regional Clerk
  • A City Clerk or Deputy Clerk
  • Treasurers or Deputy Treasurers of municipalities
  • Justices of the Peace
  • Lawyers and Paralegals
  • MPs or MPPs
  • Select at Service Ontario locations

 

Outbreaks at Childcare Centres and Schools

If there is an outbreak to a vaccine preventable disease, children and students with religious or personal belief exemptions, and certain medical exemptions will need to stay home from childcare or school until it’s safe to return.

Children in Licensed Child Care

Below are the steps that parents / legal guardians should take to submit an exemption for children go to licensed child care.

Medical exemption 1. Print the Statement of Statement of Medical Exemption – Child Care and Early Years Act form.
  • Having difficulty opening the PDF form in your internet browser? Download the form and open using Adobe Acrobat.
2. Have your child’s doctor or nurse practitioner complete the form.
  • The healthcare provider may charge a fee.
3. Give a copy of the completed form to the Middlesex-London Health Unit:
  • Mail / in-person: Middlesex-London Health Unit, 110-355 Wellington St, London, ON N6A3N7 (click here for office hours)
  • Fax: (519) 663-0416
4. Give a copy of the completed form to the licensed child care operator.
5. Keep a copy of the complete form for your records.
Non-medical exemption 1. Print the Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief – Child Care and Early Years Act form.
  • Having difficulty opening the PDF form in your internet browser? Download the form and open using Adobe Acrobat.
2. Bring the form to a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits. The form must be signed by the parent/legal guardian in the presence of the Commissioner.
  • The Commissioner may charge a fee.
3. Give a copy of the completed form to the Middlesex-London Health Unit:
  • Mail / in-person: Middlesex-London Health Unit, 110-355 Wellington St, London, ON N6A3N7 (click here for office hours)
  • Fax: (519) 663-0416

4. Give the completed form (the original, not a copy) to the licensed child care operator.

5. Keep a copy of the complete form for your records.

 

Students in Elementary and Secondary Schools

Below are the steps that a parent / legal guardian should take to submit an exemption for students going to elementary and secondary schools.

Medical exemption 1. Print the Statement Medical Exemption – Immunization of School Pupils Act form.
  • Having difficulty opening the PDF form in your internet browser? Download the form and open using Adobe Acrobat.
2. Have the student’s doctor or nurse practitioner complete the form.
  • The healthcare provider may charge a fee.
3. Give a copy of the completed form to the Middlesex-London Health Unit:
  • Mail / in-person: Middlesex-London Health Unit, 110-355 Wellington St, London, ON N6A3N7 (click here for office hours)
  • Fax: (519) 663-0416
4. Keep a copy of the complete form for your records.
Non-medical 1. Watch the online Vaccine Education Video by Ontario’s Ministry of Health, which covers:
  • Basic information about immunizations
  • Vaccine safety
  • Immunization and community health
  • Immunization law in Ontario
English video link          French video link

2. Let the Health Unit know that you watched the video by filling out this online form:

Click here to let the Health Unit know you watched the video

3. Print the Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief – Immunization of School Pupils Act form

  • Having difficulty opening the PDF form in your internet browser? Download the form and open using Adobe Acrobat.

6. Bring the form to a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits. The form must be signed by the parent/legal guardian in the presence of the Commissioner.

  • The Commissioner may charge a fee.

7. Give the original form completed form (not a copy) to the Middlesex-London Health Unit by:

  • Mail / in-person: Middlesex-London Health Unit, 110-355 Wellington St, London, ON N6A3N7 (click here for office hours)

8. Keep a copy of the complete form for your records.
 

Resources

 
Date of creation: April 29, 2022
Last modified on: August 18, 2025