Please note that an appointment is required to have documents Commissioned. Contact the Municipal Office at 705-724-2813 to inquire about appointment availability.
Commissioner of Oath Services
A Commissioner of Oath, also known as a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits, is a person who is authorized by the Province of Ontario to take an oath when you sign an affidavit or statutory declaration. They are given this authority by the Commissioners for taking Affidavits Act. The Commissioner is not responsible for the content of the affidavit, as it is the applicant who is swearing that the information is correct.
A Commissioner of Oath is not a Notary Public and cannot notarize documents. A Notary Public has much broader authority. If your document requires the signature of a Notary Public, or you require certified copies of documents, then you will need to contact a lawyer or a Notary.
Fee: As outlined in the User Fee By-Law, the fee is $20.00 per copy of each document. Payment must be made via cash, cheque, or debit.
Documents the Municipality will Commission (including but not limited to):
- Municipality of Powassan generated documents
- Domestic and Foreign Pension document also known as Proof of Life
- Canadian Citizenship forms
- Delayed Statement of Live Birth
- Adult Name Change
- Vehicle transfer of ownership to a family member
- Child Travel Consent
- Invitation letters for a visitor's VISA
- Immunization exemption document
- Statutory Declaration of Lost Identification
- Statutory Declaration for OSAP – Statement of Common Law Status/Supporting Children
- Amendment to Birth/ Death/ Marriage Certificate forms
- Affidavit of Proof of Loss of Motor Vehicle/boat (from an insurance company)
- Affidavit of Proof of Residency
- Travel Industry Council of Ontario - Affidavit of Customer Claimant
Documents the Municipality cannot Commission:
- Wills, Living Wills, Codicils to Wills or Estate Settlement documents
- Power of Attorney
- Divorce, separation, marriage, or cohabitation documents
- Custody documents
- Documents related to debt
- Real Estate documents
- Court, Legal or Civil issue related documents
- Declaration or Claimant and Indemnity
- Statutory Declaration of Progress Payment Distribution – Holdback Security Deposits
- Statement of Arrears
- Certified True Copies
- Declaration of a Translator
- Age of Majority or BYID Card Application
- Documents requiring the signature of a Notary Public, Canadian and Foreign
Before having your document commissioned:
- The document must be in English.
- You must present one original piece of government-issued photo identification (for example: a valid driver’s license);a health card is not considered a form of valid government-issued photo identification.
- You must be 18 years of age to take an oath regarding a document. If you are under 18, additional notation will be made on the document.
Having your document commissioned:
- It is extremely important to read the document in full prior to coming in. When signing under oath, you are swearing as if you are testifying in a court of law that the document contains true statements.
- Do NOT sign the document in advance. You must sign in the presence of the Commissioner.
- Bring everything that you will need, including any letter of instruction from the person or office requesting the sworn statement.
- If a sworn statement indicates that there are copies of documents to be attached, you must bring those original documents with you, as well as the copies to be attached. Otherwise, the oath cannot be administered by the Commissioner.
Pension documents from other countries:
There are residents of Canada who were born in other countries and are entitled to receive pensions from their country of birth. These pensions require this service if the document is in English.
Passport applications
If you require a sworn statement on an application for a Canadian passport, a Commissioner can administer the oath and complete your statement.
Commissioners do not provide guarantor services for Canadian passport applications and certification of true copies. An individual cannot act as a guarantor and cannot sign an application unless they have known the applicant for a period of at least two (2) years.
Right to Refuse Service:
Municipal Commissioners have the right to refuse to commission documents where there is a possibility that they may be required to testify in a court of law or for persons who are not capable of understanding them.
It is at the exclusive discretion of the individual Commissioner whether they choose to sign the document or not.