The Legislative and Clerks Services department provides the services of a Commissioner of Oaths and a Notary as set out below.

Commissioner of Oaths Services

A Commissioner of Oaths is a person who is appointed under the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act to administer oaths and take affidavits, declarations, and affirmations. The Commissioner is not responsible for the content of the affidavit or declaration.

A Commissioner of Oaths can:

  • Administer an oath for the purpose of an individual swearing or affirming the contents of a document/form (listed below) are true

A Commissioner of Oaths cannot:

  • Verify signatures, marks, and copies of documents
  • Certify and attest a true copy of a document
  • Witness or certify and attest the execution of a document
  • Give legal advice

To use this service, please contact the Town in advance to confirm your document can be commissioned by a Town Commissioner and to arrange an appointment, if possible. A fee of $15.00 will be payable as outlined in the Town’s Fees and Charges Bylaw.  The witnessing of foreign pension forms will continue to be provided at no charge to the pensioner.

Notary Public Services

The Town of Tecumseh also provides Notary Services on a limited basis.

A Notary Public is a person authorized by the Notaries Act to commission documents, certify or notarize documents as true copies and to verify signatures. The requirements to be a Notary Public are stricter than that of a Commissioner of Oaths and the person is likely also a licenced lawyer.  If your document requires it be “notarized” as opposed to “commissioned”, it is likely to ensure the person administering the oath is a licenced lawyer.

A Notary Public can:

  • Provide the same services as a Commissioner of Oaths
  • Verify signatures, marks, and copies of documents
  • Certify and attest a true copy of a document
  • Witness or certify and attest the execution of a document

A Notary Public cannot:

  • Give legal advice

Should you wish to use these services, please contact the Town in advance to confirm your document can be notarized by a Town Notary and to arrange an appointment, if possible. A fee of $50.00 will be payable as outlined in the Town’s Fees and Charges Bylaw.

Prior to attending your appointment, please ensure your document is completed in full but unsigned. You must sign the document in the presence of the Commissioner/Notary and the Commissioner/Notary will not sign an incomplete or blank document.

Please take note, you will be signing a legal document requiring your oath, the content of which is your complete responsibility. You will be attesting that you fully understand the details of the document and they are true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief. Should you require a copy of a document be notarized as a true copy you must bring the original document with you.

When attending, you will be required to bring valid government issued photo identification, which includes your full name as noted on the document to be commissioned/notarized, your address, likeness, and signature.

A Commissioner/Notary for the Town can witness/sign the following:

The Town Commissioner or Notary (where required) can agree to sign the following at their own discretion**:

  • Domestic and Foreign Pension Documents
  • Immunization Exemptions
  • Canadian Citizenship forms
  • Legal name Change forms
  • Child Travel Consent letters
  • Travel Affidavits
  • Residency Declarations, including Proof of Residency
  • Affidavit for Lost/Stolen or Damaged Passport
  • Affidavit of Proof of Loss of Motor Vehicle/Boat (from an insurance company)
  • Amendment to Birth/Death/Marriage Certificate forms
  • Statutory Declaration by a person for a change of sex designation
  • Statutory Declaration by contractor regarding holdbacks/security deposit
  • Change/Transfer or Proof of Vehicle Ownership
  • Statutory Declarations contained in Government issued forms

**Commissioners and Notaries employed by the Town are to use their absolute and sole discretion when agreeing to commission/notarize a document.  In the event the Commissioner/Notary is unsure about the content of the document, the understanding of the document by the individual, the identity of the individual, or feels the individual is not signing of their own free will, the Commissioner/Notary may refuse to sign the document and return any payment made.

A Commissioner/Notary for the Town cannot witness/sign the following:

  • Wills, “Living Wills”, Codicils to Wills or Estate documents
  • Real Estate documents
  • Court, Legal, or Civil issue related documents
  • Powers of Attorney
  • Divorce, Separation, Marriage, or Cohabitation documents and/or agreements
  • Custody documents
  • Documents related to Debt
  • Declaration of Claimant and Indemnity
  • Declaration for Replacement of Shares
  • Statutory Declaration of Progress Payment Distribution – Holdback Security Deposits
  • Tender documents
  • Declaration of a Translator
  • BYID Card Application (Age of Majority Card)
  • Ontario Mortgage Corporation documents
  • Affidavits required for Landlord and Tenant Board
  • Mining Claim forms/Transfer/Duplicate Prospector Licence Applications
  • Statutory Declaration of Lost Identification

A listing of Notary Publics/lawyers, who can provide full commissioning/notary services can be found by visiting the yellow pages.