THUNDER BAY — Area residents needing to authenticate official documents such as birth certificates, diplomas, and corporate powers-of-attorney for use outside Canada now have a faster way to do so.
Ontario's Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery has expanded its in-person service, which was already available in Toronto, to Service Ontario locations in four other cities, including Thunder Bay at 435 South James St.
Until now, local residents would have to either apply by mail or visit the province's Official Documents Services office in Toronto.
In an announcement Tuesday, the government said the change allows more individuals and businesses to have their documents authenticated without having to wait up to 15 days for mail-in processing.
"Whether someone is preparing for a major life event, a new job or an adventure abroad, authenticating documents for international use is often a crucial and time-sensitive matter," said Kaleed Rasheed, the province's minister of public and business service delivery.
Customers may use the online document authentification portal to check if their document is eligible for authentification either in-person or by mail before proceeding with their applications.
The expansion of in-person service also lays the groundwork for the province to respond to an anticipated surge of document authentification requests as a result of Canada joining the Hague Apostille Convention in January 2024.
Once the convention comes into effect, Ontario will be solely responsible for authenticating Ontario-issued public documents.
