Notaries and Commissioner for Taking Affidavits

What services are provided?

The university offers commissioner and notary services free of charge to university faculty, students, staff, alumni and retirees for matters related to university business. Some examples of matters related to university business are:

• taking declarations to support financial aid applications;
• taking affidavits of good character to facilitate registration of students with a professional body related to their course of study at the university;
• taking declarations to support passport applications for faculty, staff and students who need to travel in the course of their employment or studies at the university;
• taking declarations to support immigration/visa applications for faculty, staff and students to enable such persons to work or study at the university or go abroad in connection with their work or studies at the university;
• verifying student identities for background checks requested by co-op employers;
• witnessing signatures on agreements related to university business; and
• certifying or taking declarations verifying copies of documents, provided the documents or uses to which the documents will be put are related to university business.

Any matter which is not related to or in support of university faculty, students, staff, alumni or retirees working or studying at the university is not university business. University notaries and commissioners are not legally authorized to perform services in relation to matters which fall outside of the scope of university business. Examples include: documentation for personal travel (passport applications, visa applications, consent to travel for minors travelling with only one parent or a non-parent); and documentation for personal legal matters (family law proceedings, real estate matters [including leasing], or personal business transactions). For matters of a personal nature, please consult a telephone or internet directory for notaries and commissioners in your area.

Where and when are the services offered?

Notary and commissioner services are offered at the following locations:

Do I need a notary or a commissioner?

A commissioner for taking affidavits or commissioner of oaths is authorized to take affidavits, oaths, declarations or sworn statements only if the document relates to University business. For example, a commissioner can take a declaration from a document-holder that s/he is presenting a true copy of a document held in his/her possession. A commissioner is also able to witness a signature on a document, including a letter of invitation for a Canadian visitor’s visa if it relates to University business, unless the entity issuing or requesting the document requires it to be notarized.

A notary can commission documents as set out above, and can also certify that copies of documents are true and accurate; witness and notarize the signing of an agreement, (attesting to the fact that the signature is that of the person signing); and witness and notarize the signing of passport and permanent resident card applications (where you do not have a guarantor), and letters of invitation for Canadian visitor’s visas (where the relevant visa office requires that the letter be notarized), as long as the document relates to University business.

If you are in doubt as to whether you need a notary or a commissioner, please consult the relevant document/form for instructions or contact the entity that issued or requested the document/form (e.g., government agency, co-op employer) for verification.

What do I need to bring to my appointment?

Please bring:

• all forms/documents, completed but not signed or dated
• at least one (1) piece of government-issued, photo identification (expired identification and photocopies of identification are not acceptable) 
• your student or employee identification card 
• use current address to complete forms (like background checks), not usual address

If you do not bring the required documentation with you, the notary or commissioner will not be able to help you. If the notary or commissioner has any questions as to your identity or identification documents, or, if the matter is not related to University business, the notary or commissioner will direct you to a notary or commissioner outside of the university. It is up to each notary to make the determination of whether the matter is University business on a case by case basis.