Human Resources Legislative Update
Immunization of School Pupils Act Amendments Coming into Force September 1, 2017
Date: August 16, 2017
On September 1, 2017, sections 1, 2, 3 and 5 of Schedule 2, Bill 87, the Protecting Patients Act, 2017, amending the Immunization of School Pupils Act (Act) will come into force.
Among other things, the amendments require that the parent of a pupil complete an immunization education session with a medical officer of health or delegate before filing a statement of conscience or religious belief which would exempt that pupil from completing the prescribed course of immunization (section 2 of Schedule 2, Bill 87).
Section 4 of Schedule 2, Bill 87 is awaiting proclamation. That section expands the categories of person who may administer the immunizing agents and requires them to provide a prescribed statement of that immunization to the parent of the child as well as to the medical health officer for the public health unit in which the immunizing agent was administered.
On August 3, 2017, O. Reg. 325/17 amending Regulation 645 (General) made under the Act was filed. O. Reg. 325/17 is the supporting regulation to the amendments made to the Act by Bill 87.
O. Reg. 325/17 states that the following prescribed forms are available through the website of the Government of Ontario Central Forms Registry:
- “Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief – Immunization of School Pupils Act”
- “Statement of Medical Exemption – Immunization of School Pupils Act”
- “Notice of Transfer from a School – Immunization of School Pupils Act”
The regulation also:
- includes a program of immunization in respect of designated diseases
- prescribes the requirements that apply to an immunization education session, including the contents of the session, who must deliver the education session, and the requirements upon completion of the session.
O. Reg. 325/17 comes into force on September 1, 2017, the day that section 2 of Schedule 2, Bill 87 comes into force.
