A Canadian Affidavit of Birth is a sworn written statement used to confirm the birth details of an individual when an official birth certificate or vital statistics record is unavailable, incomplete, or was never registered. The document is made under oath or solemn affirmation by a person who has personal knowledge of the birth — typically a parent, family member, attending physician, midwife, or community elder — and is sworn before an authorized official such as a commissioner of oaths, notary public, or lawyer (barrister and solicitor).

Under the Canadian legal framework, birth registration falls under provincial and territorial jurisdiction. Each province maintains its own Vital Statistics Act governing the registration of births, deaths, and marriages. Ontario’s Vital Statistics Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. V.4), British Columbia’s Vital Statistics Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 479), and Alberta’s Vital Statistics Act (R.S.A. 2000, c. V-4.1) each set out the requirements for birth registration in their respective provinces. When a birth was not registered within the statutory timeframe, or when the original registration record has been lost or destroyed, an Affidavit of Birth serves as supporting documentary evidence to establish the fact and circumstances of the birth.

The affidavit has legal weight equivalent to oral testimony given in court. Making a false statement in the document constitutes perjury under section 131 of the Criminal Code of Canada (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46), which carries a maximum penalty of fourteen years imprisonment. The Canada Evidence Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-5) establishes the admissibility framework for sworn statements in federal proceedings, while provincial evidence acts govern their use in provincial courts and administrative tribunals.

A Canadian Affidavit of Birth is needed in several common situations across all provinces and territories. Delayed birth registration arises when a child’s birth was not registered within the timeframe mandated by the provincial Vital Statistics Act — for example, Ontario requires registration within thirty days of birth, and failure to register within one year triggers the need for a delayed registration supported by an affidavit and corroborating evidence.

Passport applications require proof of Canadian citizenship, and when a birth certificate cannot be obtained, Passport Canada (now administered by IRCC under the Canadian Passport Order, SI/81-86) may accept an Affidavit of Birth as part of the documentation package. Immigration applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada frequently require birth affidavits for sponsorship and family class applications, particularly when applicants come from countries with incomplete civil registration systems.

Indigenous peoples born in remote communities or on reserves may face challenges with birth registration due to historical gaps in vital statistics record-keeping. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has highlighted the importance of accessible documentation processes, and affidavits of birth serve a critical role in establishing identity for individuals whose births were not registered through the provincial system.

Estate and probate proceedings may require an Affidavit of Birth to establish family relationships for inheritance purposes under provincial succession legislation such as Ontario’s Succession Law Reform Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. S.26). Insurance claims, government benefit applications (including Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security), and name change proceedings may also require birth affidavits as supporting documentation.

A valid Canadian Affidavit of Birth must include the following essential components. The header identifies the province or territory and municipality where the affidavit is sworn, establishing the geographic jurisdiction. The deponent’s (affiant’s) information includes their full legal name, residential address, occupation, and relationship to the applicant whose birth is being attested — this establishes the deponent’s capacity and basis for personal knowledge.

The body of the affidavit contains numbered paragraphs stating: the full legal name of the person whose birth is attested, their date of birth, the city or municipality and province of birth, the names of both parents, and the gender of the applicant. The deponent must also state the basis for their knowledge of the birth facts — for example, being a parent present at the birth, or a family member who has known the applicant since birth.

A government-issued identification section records the type, number, issuing authority, and expiry date of the identification document presented by the deponent to the administering official. This ensures the deponent’s identity is verified as required by the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. C.17) and equivalent provincial legislation.

The jurat is the concluding clause that records where, when, and before whom the oath or affirmation was administered. It includes the municipality and province of swearing, the date, the deponent’s signature, and the signature and designation of the commissioner for oaths, notary public, or lawyer. Without a properly completed jurat, the affidavit is invalid. A governing law clause identifies the applicable provincial legislation, and a perjury notice warns the deponent that false statements constitute a criminal offence under sections 131 and 134 of the Criminal Code of Canada.