With the new school year fast approaching, Toronto Public Health (TPH) is reminding parents and guardians to check their child’s vaccination record, catch up on any missing routine childhood vaccines, and report vaccinations to TPH.
Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) requires that students be vaccinated against nine designated diseases or have a valid exemption. These routine childhood vaccines are based on Ontario’s Immunization Schedule and protect against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis (whooping cough), meningococcal disease and varicella (chickenpox) for students born in 2010 or later.
For the 2026-2027 school year, TPH is sending letters to parents and guardians of students in grade 2 (born in 2019) and grade 11 (born in 2010) if required vaccination records are missing or a valid exemption is not on file. The letters advise that students will be suspended from school if the required information is not submitted by the specified deadline.
TPH assesses and addresses immunization gaps in the student population and promotes catch-up opportunities to increase population protection with the goal of preventing illness and spread of infection among students and the broader community. TPH provides families with many opportunities to update their child’s vaccination records or provide a valid exemption before any suspension takes place. Students whose records remain incomplete will receive a suspension order before active suspensions begin.
Reporting Vaccinations to TPH
Parents and guardians or students aged 16 and older, are responsible for reporting student vaccinations to TPH using Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON), as health-care providers do not submit vaccine reports to TPH. Helpful resources and support are available in multiple languages at www.toronto.ca/StudentVaccines, or by contacting publichealth@toronto.ca or 416-338-7600, Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where to Get Vaccinated
Students can catch up on their vaccines by contacting their health-care provider or booking an appointment at a TPH Community Clinic: www.toronto.ca/immunization-clinics-for-students.
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“Ensuring the health and safety of students in Toronto is at the heart of our work. We know many families are busy preparing for a new school year, and we want to make it as easy as possible to keep children’s vaccine records updated as part of that preparation. We provide support for catching up on any missed vaccines, help with submitting records, and work with families and schools to prevent illness.”
– Dr. Michelle Murti, Medical Officer of Health
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