TORONTO, Jan. 13 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is easing the financial

burden on Ontarians who want to adopt a child from another country, Minister

of Children and Youth Services Dr. Marie Bountrogianni announced today.

    "Families adopting children from other countries are already paying

substantial costs," said Bountrogianni. "They have asked us to make it easier

and we have responded. I am proud that today we are able to fulfill our

commitment to them."

    In 2000, the provincial government began collecting a fee of $460 for

international adoptions involving relatives and $925 for non-relatives under

the Intercountry Adoption Act. The provincial government has cancelled this

fee effective today.

    "We're making it a little bit easier for Ontarians to bring a child into

their family and give them a place to call home," said Bountrogianni. "This

government's intention has always been to eliminate the processing fee for

international adoptions."

    Backgrounder

                      INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION IN ONTARIO

    The Ministry of Children and Youth Services processed 695 international

adoptions in 2003.

    In March 2000, Ontario implemented the Intercountry Adoption Act. The act

helps to ensure that children who are adopted internationally are safe and

that adoptive families are not taken advantage of. Under the act, the Ministry

of Children and Youth Services approves home studies of prospective parents,

approves matches between children and adoptive parents and licenses adoption

agencies in Ontario.

    Since the act was implemented the government has collected a processing

fee of $460 for international adoptions by a relative and $925 for non-

relative adoptions. As of January 13, 2005, this fee will no longer be

collected on any international adoptions.

    Steps in adopting a child from another country

    -  Under the Intercountry Adoption Act all applicants (relative and

       non-relative) must:

       -  Apply to an adoption agency licensed by the Ministry of Children

          and Youth Services

       -  Have an adoption home study completed by an approved adoption

          practitioner

       -  Apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada to sponsor a child to

          be adopted

       -  Apply to the Canadian Embassy abroad for an immigrant visa for the

          child to enter Canada.

          Applicants will continue to incur some expenses related to agency

          fees and their own travel costs, but they will no longer pay a fee

          to the provincial government.

    -  The adoption agency must:

       -  Submit the application to the adoption authority in the child's

          country of origin

       -  Obtain a child proposal from the foreign adoption authority.

    -  The Ministry of Children and Youth Services must:

       -  Approve the parents' "suitability and eligibility" to adopt

       -  Approve the child proposal where the child's country requires it.

    The adoption is completed in the child's country of origin. On average,

    it takes about 12 to 18 months from when an application is made until an

    international adoption is complete.