Vaccines for child care and school

If your child is in licensed child care in a centre or home, they must either:

• Be vaccinated according to the publicly funded vaccination schedule for Ontario, or
• Have a valid child care exemption.

Their vaccination record must be kept up to date with the child care provider.

If you have chosen not to vaccinate your child, you can apply for an exemption. If your child has a valid exemption, they may not be allowed to attend the child care centre during a disease outbreak. Outbreaks can last for several weeks.

Requesting a vaccination exemption

There are 2 types of exemptions:

• A non-medical exemption for conscience or religious beliefs
• A medical exemption

Non-medical exemptions (conscience or religious belief)

You will need to:

• Complete a statement of conscience or religious belief form under the Child Care and Early Year Act.
• Get the form signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario.
• Give the original notarized exemption form to your licensed child care provider.

Medical exemptions

Your child may qualify for a medical exemption if:

• A medical condition prevents your child from receiving vaccines.
• Your child is already protected (proven to have immunity) against certain diseases.

You will need to:

• Have your doctor or nurse practitioner complete a statement of medical exemption under the Child Care and Early Year Act .
• Give the original completed medical exemption form to your licensed child care operator.

Once your child starts elementary school, you will need to complete the exemption process again.

If your child is in school, they must either:

• Be vaccinated against certain diseases, or
• Have a valid exemption.

You are required to provide up-to-date vaccination information for your child when registering for school for the first time, including when registering your child for kindergarten and students coming from outside Ontario.

You must report your child’s vaccinations to Peel Region, otherwise they may be suspended from school.

After you report your vaccinations, you will be given a reference number. This reference number is only needed when registering your child for school for the first time. You will need to provide this reference number to your school as proof you submitted your child’s vaccinations to us.

If you cannot locate a reference number, previously reported vaccinations online or you are experiencing technical issues with the online reporting tool, contact us at 905-799-7700, Caledon 905-584-2216.

If you do not have online access or your child does not have an Ontario Health Card, contact your school for other ways to report vaccinations.

If you have chosen not to vaccinate your child, you can apply for an exemption. If your child has a valid exemption, they will not be suspended from school, however, your child may not be allowed to attend school during a disease outbreak. Outbreaks can last for several weeks.

Requesting a vaccination exemption

There are 2 types of exemptions:

• A non-medical exemption for conscience or religious beliefs
• A medical exemption

Non-medical exemptions (conscience or religious belief)

Peel Region offers the opportunity for parents and guardians to attend a vaccination information session for those considering a non-medical exemption for their child for vaccinations specifically required to attend school. If interested in attending a session or have questions about the exemption process, call 905-799-7700, Caledon 905-584-2216.

To complete a non-medical exemption for children attending school in Peel, you must:

• Complete a statement of conscience or religious belief form under the Immunization of School Pupils Act.
• Have the original signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario.
• Submit the original form by courier or registered mail to:

Peel Public Health – Immunization Records
7120 Hurontario St.
Mississauga, ON
L5W 1N4

Copies of the notarized form will not be accepted. In-person drop off is currently not available.

Medical exemptions

Your child may qualify for a medical exemption for vaccinations specifically required to attend school if:

• A medical condition prevents your child from receiving vaccines, or
• Your child is already protected (proven to have immunity) against certain diseases.

Your doctor or nurse practitioner must sign a medical exemption form. For more information, call Peel Region at 905-799-7700, Caledon 905-584-2216.

COVID-19 vaccine requirements

Currently, children are not required to have the COVID-19 vaccine to attend school, under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act.

However, some settings like sports organizations may have different requirements for COVID-19 vaccination. Contact the organization directly for further details.

If you haven't reported all your child's vaccinations, you might get a letter from Peel Region asking for the information to be submitted.

Review your child’s information in the letter, for example the spelling of your child’s name, or date of birth to make sure it’s correct. Contact your child’s school if you need to update the information.

Common reasons for getting a letter from Peel Region:

• Your child’s vaccination record is not up to date with Peel Region.
• Your child hasn't received a vaccine.
• Your child received vaccinations that do not meet the requirements of Ontario's routine vaccine schedule.
• You've requested an exemption, but Peel Region hasn't received the original signed and completed medical form, notarized conscience, or religious form.
• Your child’s vaccinations were not given on time according to the schedule.