Bill 31, Marriage Amendment Act, 2025
Chamber
ontario
Stage
Introduced
This Ontario bill allows Members of Provincial Parliament to legally perform marriage ceremonies after notifying the Minister.
Key Changes
- MPPs are added to the list of people authorized to solemnize (perform) marriages in Ontario
- An MPP must give written notice to the Minister to activate this authority
- Former MPPs retain the authority to perform marriages for 12 months after leaving office
- The law took effect immediately upon receiving Royal Assent
Gotchas
- The bill does not specify any training, background check, or qualifications beyond written notice to the Minister, which is a lower bar than some other officiants may face.
- The 12-month post-office grace period means individuals who are defeated in elections or resign can still legally perform marriages for up to a year afterward.
- The bill does not clarify whether the Minister can refuse or revoke authorization once notice is given.
- Marriages performed under this authority still require a marriage licence, as the authorization is specifically 'under the authority of a licence.'
Who's Affected
- Members of the Ontario Legislative Assembly (MPPs)
- Former MPPs (within 12 months of leaving office)
- Couples seeking to have an MPP officiate their wedding
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The bill does not specify any training, background check, or qualifications beyond written notice to the Minister, which is a lower bar than some other officiants may face.
- The 12-month post-office grace period means individuals who are defeated in elections or resign can still legally perform marriages for up to a year afterward.
- The bill does not clarify whether the Minister can refuse or revoke authorization once notice is given.
- Marriages performed under this authority still require a marriage licence, as the authorization is specifically 'under the authority of a licence.'
Summary
Bill 31 changes Ontario's Marriage Act to let Members of the Provincial Parliament (MPPs) solemnize — meaning officially perform — marriages. To do this, an MPP simply needs to send written notice to the Minister indicating they want to perform marriages. No additional licensing or certification process is described beyond that notification. The bill also includes a grace period: if an MPP leaves office for any reason, they can continue to perform marriages for up to 12 months after their last day as a member. This means the authority does not end the moment someone stops being an MPP. The bill was introduced by MPPs Dave Smith and Matthew Rae and received Royal Assent, becoming law as Chapter 20 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2025. It came into force immediately upon receiving Royal Assent.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses