Clerk's Division

Impacts of COVID-19 on programs and services:
Town Administrative Offices are open for in-person services. Some staff will continue to work from home, so if you need to meet with a specific individual, we encourage you to call or email in advance to ensure their availability. Services will also continue to be available online or by phone – learn about our virtual services.

See the Town's COVID-19 page for more information.

The Clerk’s Division is an essential link between residents of BWG and Town Council. The Clerk is responsible for all statutory duties under the Municipal Act and other legislation, including Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The Clerk and the Mayor are the corporate signing officers for The Corporation of the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury.

Select a topic for more information:

Commissioning of Oaths and Documents

Does the Town provide Commissioning of Oaths services?

Yes, the Clerk’s Division provides Commissioning of Oaths services at the Administration office (see contact info at right). Several staff members are certified commissioners and no appointment is required; however you may wish to call ahead to ensure someone will be available. Office hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am-4:30pm, except on statutory holidays.

Which documents will the office commission?

Our office will commission documents such as:

General Affidavits
Certificate of Loss forms for insurance claims
Declaration of Vehicle Transfer
OAS and CPP declarations
Real estate documents
Will documents
Estate documents

How much is the Commissioning of Oaths services fee?

The fee for Commissioning of Oaths is $20.

Is there a fee for pension forms?

No, witnessing of pension forms is provided at no charge to the pensioner.

What rules apply for official travel document applications?

The Clerk’s Division staff cannot act as a Guarantor on the applications for official travel documents (e.g. passport) unless you have known one of the staff members for the required period of time. It is recommended that Letters of Consent for children’s travel be Notarized rather than Commissioned.

Does the oath, affirmation, or declaration have to be commissioned in person?

Yes. A deponent must take an oath or solemn declaration in front of a person who is qualified to take oaths, and they must witness the deponent signing the document. An oath or solemn declaration cannot be made over the telephone.

Certified Copies

What is a certified copy?

A certified copy is a photocopy of an original document (such as a passport or birth certificate) with an endorsement from the Clerk's office to say that it is a true copy of the primary document. It does not certify that the original document is genuine, only that it is a true copy of the original document.

The original document must be provided in order to certify a copy as true original.

The Clerk and Deputy Clerk may certify other documents as "true copies" of the originals, but there is no guarantee that such certification will be accepted.

What is the fee for certified copies?

Certified copies can be made for a fee of $5.

Notary Services

Does the Town provide notary services?

Yes. Notary services are provided at the Administration Office at 100 Dissette St., Units 7&8, open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. An appointment is necessary, and can be made by phone to 905-775-5366 ext.1100.

Other local attorneys may also provide notarial services, and will set their own fees and appointments.

What is the fee for notarial services?

Documents can be notarized for a fee of $20.

What is the difference between a Notary and a Commissioner of Oaths?

A commissioner for taking affidavits (also called a Commissioner of Oaths) only has authority to administer oaths and take affidavits. A notary public has much broader authority. A notary public can “notarize” copies of documents (verify as a true copy). Barristers and solicitors (lawyers) in Ontario are automatically commissioners for taking affidavits. They also have the automatic right to be notary publics; however, in order to exercise the notary public function they must apply for and obtain a notary public seal.

What services can a Notary provide?

Preparing and witnessing powers of attorney for use overseas
Dealing with purchase or sale of land and property abroad
Providing documents to deal with the administration of the estates of people abroad or owning property abroad
Authenticating personal documents and information for immigration or emigration purposes, or to apply to marry or work abroad
Authenticating company and business documents and transactions
Acting as a witness to an agreement
Drafting and notarizing travel documents for children (i.e. Consent Letter to Travel)

What is a Consent Letter to Travel?

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recommends that if a person younger than 18 is travelling alone or with only one parent or another adult, they have their parents’ consent for such travel.

A notarized letter of consent to travel is proof of such consent.

A notary public can or notarize this consent document for you. The consent document should be drafted according to the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s recommended specifications.

The parent(s) granting consent must attend the notary public’s office with valid photo identification.

Please note that other documents may be required in addition to notarized consent documents. Visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s website before you travel to ensure that you have all of your necessary documentation

What is a Letter of Invitation?

A letter of invitation is where a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada ‘invites’ a person who is outside of Canada and wishes to enter Canada on a Temporary Resident Visa. A letter of invitation may be required by a person applying for a Temporary Resident Visa to visit Canada. Some visa offices may require that the letter of invitation be notarized by a notary public.

The letter of invitation must include particular information about both the person inviting the person to Canada and the person being invited.

Once you have the letter of invitation and, if necessary, had it notarized, you must send it to the person you are inviting to Canada. They will then have to submit the letter of invitation to the Canadian Embassy or Consulate outside of Canada when they apply for their Temporary Resident Visa.

A letter of invitation does not guarantee that a visa will be issued.

Requests for Municipal Information (FOI/MFIPPA)

PLEASE NOTE: Due to limited capacity to receive and process Freedom of Information (FOI) requests during office closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it may not be able to respond to requests within the legislated timeframes. Please contact the FOI Coordinator by email with any questions.

What is FOI or MFIPPA?

Municipal information can be obtained directly from a service area through Routine Disclosure or by filing a request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) with the Clerk's Division. MFIPPA is provincial legislation that gives individuals the right to request access to records maintained by the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury.

What information can I obtain through MFIPPA?

Routine Disclosure includes items like planning decisions, municipal by-laws, corporate policies and property information if you are the current owner. Fees may apply.

If you are looking to obtain a survey of your property please contact the Building Division to see if there is one on file. If you are looking for a property survey of a property you do not own, please contact the Land Registry Office at 705-725-7232 or search one of many online property survey databases.

How do I make a request?

To file a request under MFIPPA, please submit a completed Access to Information Request form and the $5.00 filing fee in person or by mail to the Clerk's Division.

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