Immunization Requirements for Child Care Centres

Every year OPH assesses the immunization record of every child attending a licensed child care centre in the Ottawa area, to ensure their immunizations are up to date according to Ontario’s Immunization Schedule.

If OPH does not have an up-to-date immunization record or a valid medical / non-medical exemption on file for your child, you will receive a Notice of Incomplete Immunization Record during our annual immunization record assessment process informing you which vaccine(s) are missing in your child’s immunization record at Ottawa Public Health. You are responsible for updating OPH every time your child gets a vaccine.

Update your child's record

Immunization requirements for licensed child care centres

Upon registration at a licensed child care centre, parent(s)/guardian(s) must provide a copy of their child's immunization record to the child care provider and to Ottawa Public Health (OPH). Under the "Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA)", children attending childcare in Ontario are required to be vaccinated against the following diseases as per the local medical officer of health:

For more information about these diseases and the vaccines that prevent them, click on the diseases above.

Why did I receive a Notice of Incomplete Immunization Record from OPH?

You received this letter for one or more of the following reasons:

  • OPH does not have an immunization record on file for your child.
  • Your child is missing one or more required vaccines to meet immunization requirements for child care attendance.
  • Your child might be up to date with all of their required immunizations; however, you did not provide OPH with their most recent vaccine information.
  • Your child may have received invalid doses that do not meet the immunization requirements under the Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA).
  • OPH has not received a Ministry approved standardized medical or non-medical exemption form for your child to be exempted from receiving immunizations.

What do I need to do?

Step 1:

Compare the immunization record OPH has on file for your child (shown in your Notice), with your immunization records at home and with your child’s health care provider.

Note: Only vaccines required for attending a child care centre are shown in your Notice.

Step 2:

If your child received the vaccine(s) listed as missing in your letter, update your child’s immunization record with OPH.

If your child is missing the vaccine(s) listed. Please have your child receive the vaccine(s) through their health care provider, a walk-in clinic or through the OPH immunization clinic. Update OPH once your child receives the vaccine(s).  

If you are having difficulty accessing publicly funded vaccines in the community and/or need a nurse to assess your child’s immunization record from another country, contact the OPH Information Centre at 613-580-6744, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm.

Where can my child receive immunizations?

All immunizations required for children attending a licensed child care centre in Ontario are publicly funded. Immunizations can be given at your family doctor or a walk-in clinic.

If you are currently looking for a family doctor please register with Health Care Connect, and a nurse will help you find a doctor or nurse practitioner who is accepting new patients in our community.

Immunization Exemptions

Under the Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA), a Statement of Medical Exemption or Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief are accepted. A parent/guardian who is submitting a medical or non-medical must complete a standardized ministry approved exemption form.

In the event of an outbreak related to a vaccine preventable disease, any child with a conscience or religious belief exemption, and certain medical exemptions on file will be excluded from attending a child care centre until the risk related to the outbreak has ended.

Before submitting an exemption, we encourage you to speak with a nurse to discuss how to best protect your child from vaccine preventable diseases.

For any questions related to vaccines or the exemption process, call OPH at 613-580-6744 to speak with a nurse. 

Medical Exemption

A medical exemption can be submitted if a child attending a licensed child care centre in Ottawa has a medical condition that prevents them from receiving the vaccine or there is evidence of immunity to the disease making further immunization unnecessary.

  • Print the Statement of Medical Exemption, Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014
  • Have your child’s health care provider complete the form (you may be charged a fee).
  • Send a copy of the completed exemption form to OPH by:
    • Mail: Immunization Unit, Mail Code 26-42, 100 Constellation Dr, Ottawa ON, K2G 6J8; or
    • Fax: 613-580-9660
  • Provide a copy to your child care centre.
  • Keep the original for your own records.

Non-medical Exemption
  • Print and complete the Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief, Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. The Statement must be signed by a parent/guardian in the presence of a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits (you may be charged a fee). 
  • Send a copy of the completed exemption form to OPH by:
    • Mail: Immunization Unit, Mail Code 26-42, 100 Constellation Dr, Ottawa ON, K2G 6J8; or
    • Fax: 613-580-9660
  • Provide a copy to your child care centre.
  • Keep the original for your own records.

New to Canada or Ontario?

Before your child attends a child care centre in Ottawa, we recommend that you contact your health care provider or OPH to assess your child's immunization record. This will ensure that your child's immunizations are up to date according to the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules for Ontario, and that they are fully protected against vaccine preventable diseases.

Do you have more questions about immunizations?

View Ontario’s Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule to find out which vaccine your child needs next.  

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