Ontario
Government Improves Access To Civil Marriage
Municipal
Clerks Have Authority To Solemnize Marriages
QUEEN'S
PARK, ON, Sept. 24 /CNW/ - The Ontario government is giving
people greater choice by allowing municipal clerks to perform civil
marriages, Consumer and Business Services Minister Jim Watson announced
today.
"Couples seek civil marriages for a variety
of personal reasons," said Watson. "People who want a civil
marriage in Ontario will soon have improved access to this service."
Changes to the regulations under the Marriage Act
give municipal clerks the authority to solemnize civil marriages in
Ontario. These changes to the act are also aimed at reducing the demand on
judges and justices of the peace, who increasingly have to focus their
attention on court-related duties.
Municipalities
now have the option to offer civil marriages if they choose and set fees
to recover the cost of providing civil marriage services. Local service is
expected to be available in late fall 2004.
"Allowing municipal clerks to perform civil
marriages complements their current role as marriage licence
issuers," said Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Gerretsen.
"We will continue to work with municipalities to
improve
the quality of life in our communities."
This initiative is supported by municipalities
and municipal clerks.
"Municipalities see this as a positive step
in providing another level of service for people in our communities,"
said Roger Anderson, president of the Association of Municipalities of
Ontario.
"Municipal clerks welcome this opportunity
to expand their role in the marriage process and provide a more complete
service to those seeking a civil marriage," said R. Jack Watson,
president of the Association of Municipal
Managers,
Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario.
Approximately 66,000 marriages are performed
every year in Ontario, five
per
cent of which are civil marriages.
Backgrounder
CIVIL MARRIAGES IN ONTARIO
The Ontario government has taken a step to allow
municipal clerks to perform civil marriages in Ontario. Providing
municipal clerks with the
authority
to perform civil marriages will improve access in a timely and fiscally
responsible manner.
Changes to the regulations under the Marriage Act
provide municipalities with the option to offer civil marriage services if
they choose and set fees to recover the cost of performing civil
marriages.
Getting Married in Ontario
There are two ways to get married in Ontario: a
civil marriage or religious marriage service. A civil marriage can be
performed by a judge,
justice
of the peace or municipal clerk under the authority of a marriage license.
In recent years, judges and justices of the peace
have increasingly
focused
their attention on court-related duties. As a result, Ontarians have
seen
reduced access to civil marriage services.
Municipal Clerks
Allowing municipal clerks to solemnize civil
marriages builds on their
current
municipal role as marriage licence issuers and increases the number of
people providing civil marriage services for all Ontarians. In addition,
some municipalities already have wedding chapels in their municipal
facilities.
Municipal clerks are also recognized public
servants who are familiar
with
the legal and administrative environments of municipal government and the
delivery of municipal services. Municipal clerks also have the authority
to collect funds on behalf of the municipality.
An optional training program for municipal clerks
has been designed and the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and
Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) will deliver the program.
Married in Ontario
Approximately five per cent of the 66,000
marriages solemnized in Ontario every year are civil marriages.
