As of May 14, 2008, Ontario has new adoption information disclosure legislation. It affects adoptions that were filed in Ontario. Once this new legislation is fully implemented:
- Adopted adults will be able to apply for copies of adoption orders and birth registrations.
- Birth parents will be able to apply for information from these documents.
- Adopted adults and birth parents will be able to apply for disclosure vetoes if their adoption order was made before September 1, 2008.
How do I know if my adoption order was filed in Ontario?
Adoption orders are usually registered in the jurisdiction where the adoption is finalized. If you were born in Ontario, it is likely that your adoption order was also registered in Ontario. If your adoptive parents were living in Ontario at the time you were adopted, your adoption order may have been registered in Ontario. If you are not sure, you can apply for your adoption order free of charge. If there is no record of an adoption, you will receive a letter indicating that there is no record of your adoption registered in Ontario.
What kind of information is contained in adoption orders and Ontario birth registrations?
The information may vary, depending on when the adoption took place. The records may include such information as the:
- child’s birth name
- name of the child’s mother
- name of the child’s father
- name of the hospital where the baby was born.
What if I am a birth parent or an adopted adult and I don’t want my adoption records released?
You will be able to apply for a disclosure veto to prevent the release of the adoption records if the adoption was finalized before September 1, 2008.
A disclosure veto prevents the release of any information found in birth registrations or adoption orders that would identify the person who filed the veto.
For adoptions finalized prior to September 1, 2008, adopted adults and birth parents will be able to apply for a disclosure veto to prevent the release of any information from a birth registration or adoption order.
How and when can I apply for a disclosure veto?
ServiceOntario will be handling applications for disclosure vetoes. We expect this service to start in September 2008.
Information will be available online at www.ServiceOntario.ca or by calling:
Tel: 416-325-8305
Toll free: 1-800-461-2156
What adoption information disclosure services are available now?
ServiceOntario provides several adoption disclosure services now. There is no charge for these services.
Requesting non-identifying information
Non-identifying information is general information about the adoption. It may include the:
- date of the adoption
- name of the agency that handled your adoption
- care you received prior to your adoption placement
- your birth family’s social or medical history.
Who can apply:
- adopted adults
- birth parents
- eligible birth relatives, such as a birth parent, a birth grandparent, or a birth sibling who is at least 18 years of age.
For more information about how to apply for non-identifying information, please visit www.ServiceOntario.ca.
You can also call:
Tel: 416-325-8305
Toll free: 1-800-461-2156
Requesting a severe medical search
If you or a family member were adopted and you have a severe mental or physical illness, you may be eligible for a severe medical search.
In a severe medical search, we try to locate and contact an adopted adult or a birth relative to get any medical information that will help to treat or diagnose a severe mental or physical illness. An example would be if an adopted person needs information from a birth relative to help with an organ transplant.
For more information about how to apply for severe medical searches, please visit www.ServiceOntario.ca.
You can also call:
Tel: 416-325-8305
Toll free: 1-800-461-2156
Placing your name on the Adoption Disclosure Register
Adopted adults (18 years of age and older), birth parents, adult birth siblings and birth grandparents can apply to have their names placed on the Adoption Disclosure Register.
If a match is found between an adopted person and their birth relative, Register staff will provide the matched individuals with the contact information that has been provided to the Register.
If you applied to have your name added to the Adoption Disclosure Register before April 24, 2006, your name is still on the Register. If your contact information has changed since then, please make sure it is updated. It is your responsibility to keep your contact information current. You can also remove your name from the Register at any time.
For more information about the Adoption Disclosure Register, please visit www.ServiceOntario.ca.
You can also call:
Tel: 416-325-8305
Toll free: 1-800-461-2156.
I was adopted as a child. Can I get copies of my original birth certificate and adoption order so I could find out what my name and my parents’ names were when I was born?
As of April 28, 2008, Ontario has new adoption information disclosure legislation.
The new legislation will be implemented in stages. This will give us time to develop new services including a disclosure veto. Through ServiceOntario, we expect that adult adoptees will be able to apply for disclosure vetoes starting in September, 2008. Adult adoptees will be able to apply for copies of original birth registrations and adoption orders starting in June 2009.
In the meantime, if you are looking for information about your adoption, you may still apply to:
- receive non-identifying information about the adoption
- have your name added to the Adoption Disclosure Register if you are interested in finding your birth relatives
- request a severe medical search.
I am a birth parent. Can I get information from my child’s birth registration and adoption order, including information about my child’s adoptive name?
As of April 28, 2008, Ontario has new adoption information disclosure legislation.
The new legislation will be implemented in stages. This will give us time to develop new services including a disclosure veto. Through ServiceOntario, we expect that:
- Birth parents will be able to apply for disclosure vetoes starting in September 2008.
- Birth parents will be able to apply for information from birth registrations and adoption orders starting in June 2009.
In the meantime, if you are looking for information about your adoption, you may still apply to:
- receive non-identifying information about the adoption
- have your name added to the Adoption Disclosure Register if you are interested in finding the child you placed for adoption
- request a severe medical search.
For more information on how to apply for non-identifying information or the Adoption Disclosure Register, please visit www.ServiceOntario.ca.
You can also call:
Tel: 416-325-8305
Toll free: 1-800-461-2156
I was adopted as a child. I am worried about my health and think I may have a severe illness. How can I learn more about my medical history?
If you were adopted and are over 18 years of age, you may apply for a severe medical search to locate a birth parent or other birth relative to obtain medical information that could help treat or diagnose a mental or physical illness. An example would be medical information needed for an organ transplant.
If you were adopted and are under 18 years of age, you need to have the consent of your adoptive parent or legal guardian in order to apply.
For more information on how to apply for a severe medical search, please visit www.ServiceOntario.ca.
You can also call:
Tel: 416-325-8305
Toll free: 1-800-461-2156
I am the parent of an adopted child. I think that my child has a severe illness. How can I learn more about my child’s medical history?
If your adopted child is under 18 years of age, you can apply for a severe medical search to locate a birth parent or other birth relative to obtain medical information that could help treat or diagnose a mental or physical illness. An example would be medical information needed for an organ transplant.
For more information on how to apply for a severe medical search, please visit www.ServiceOntario.ca.
You can also call:
Tel: 416-325-8305
Toll free: 1-800-461-2156