Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why has the government changed Ontario’s adoption information disclosure laws?

A: The government believes that Ontarians should be able to learn as much as possible about their personal history. For this to happen, we needed to modernize Ontario’s adoption disclosure laws to open information to adopted adults and birth parents.

Ontario began sealing birth and adoption records over eighty years ago, in 1927. Since then, society has changed a lot. We now understand that people involved with an adoption want to have the same ability as non-adopted people to learn about their past.

Ontario’s adoption information disclosure law, the Access to Adoption Records Act, 2008, allows most adopted adults and birth parents to get personal information that had been unavailable for years in their adoption records. This law also helps them protect the privacy of their information.

Q: What is the difference between applying to be named on the Adoption Disclosure Register and applying for post-adoption birth information? Isn’t this the same thing?

A: No. 

Post-adoption birth information provides identifying information from original birth registrations, substituted birth registrations and adoption orders to birth parents and adopted adults.

The Adoption Disclosure Register provides a matching service that helps adopted adults and birth parents, birth grandparents or birth siblings exchange contact information. The adopted adult and birth relative must both be registered to exchange contact information.

The Adoption Disclosure Register exchanges contact information only. It does not provide information from birth registrations, substituted birth registrations or adoption orders. For that, you must apply for post-adoption birth information.

Q: What information usually appears on an adoption order?

A: There is no standard format for adoption orders. The information on an adoption order will depend on the year the adoption was registered and where it was finalized.

Adoption orders may contain any of the following:

Q: Why must adopted people be 18 years old before applying for copies of their original birth registrations?

A: 18 years is the age of majority when people are considered responsible for themselves.

Getting post-adoption birth information involves some legal obligations. For example, no contact notices require the adopted adult to sign a written agreement that is legally binding. If this agreement is not signed, post-adoption birth information will not be released.

Q: Why must birth parents wait until the adopted adult is 19 years old to apply for post-adoption birth information?

A: This gives adopted adults time to file a disclosure veto, no contact notice or notice of contact preference to protect their information before their birth parents could access it.

Adopted adults can register no contact notices, notices of contact preference or disclosure vetoes once they turn 18 years old.

Q: By providing identifying information about birth parents to adopted adults, aren’t you taking away an adoptive parent’s rights?

A: No.

We believe that, wherever possible, adopted adults should have the same rights to personal information as non-adopted adults. 

This law does not affect the parental rights of adoptive parents. Only adopted adults, who are at least 18 years old, can get post-adoption birth information.

Q: Once I get post-adoption birth information, can you help me contact my child that was placed for adoption or my birth parent(s)?

A: No, we cannot help people contact each other. Some community agencies may be able to help you find and contact your relatives if you choose to use their services.

Keep in mind, when you receive post-adoption birth information you may also receive a copy of an adopted person’s or birth parent’s no contact notice or disclosure veto that is currently in effect.

A person who has filed a no contact notice or disclosure veto does not wish to be contacted.

Adopted adults, birth parents, birth grandparents and birth siblings may also apply to be named on the Adoption Disclosure Register. This helps birth relatives and adopted adults who want to be contacted exchange contact information.