Annual Assessment of Student Immunization Records 2025
To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: October 30, 2025
From: Dr. Laura Bourns, Deputy Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Annual Assessment of Student Immunization Records
Dear Colleagues,
Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has started our annual process of assessing students’ immunization records for compliance with the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA).
To attend school in Ontario, students need to be immunized against nine vaccine preventable diseases or have a medical or religious/philosophical exemption:
- Diphtheria, measles, meningococcal diseases, mumps, pertussis, polio, rubella, tetanus, varicella (required for children born in 2010 or after).
Consistent with last year’s approach, this year’s notices will target two birth cohorts: students born in 2008 and 2018 (7 and 17-year-olds). OPH will be issuing suspension notices to 7- and 17-year-old students who do not respond to the mailed notices with the necessary information.
Process for students with incomplete immunization records
- If OPH has missing or incomplete immunization record information for a student, a “Notice of Incomplete Immunization Record” will be mailed to the student’s home. The notice includes a copy of the student’s immunization record from OPH, name of the missing vaccine, and how to update the student’s immunization with OPH.
- The parent/guardian is given 1 month to update OPH’s record before a “Suspension Order” is issued, which gives families an additional month to provide an update before the suspension takes effect. The suspension can last up to a period of 20 school days if no action is taken.
IMPORTANT DATES
SCHOOL TYPE AND BOARD NAME | FIRST NOTICE MAIL DATE | SUSPENSION ORDER MAIL DATE | SUSPENSION START DATE |
Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO) and Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) Elementary Schools | Oct 22 | Dec 10 | Jan 12 |
Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) Elementary Schools | Oct 29 | Dec 17 | Jan 19 |
Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) Elementary Schools | Nov 5 | Jan 7 | Feb 9 |
Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO) and Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) Secondary Schools | Nov 12 | Jan 14 | Feb 17 |
Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) Secondary Schools | Nov 19 | Jan 21 | Feb 23 |
Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) Secondary Schools | Nov 26 | Jan 28 | Mar 2 |
Private Schools | Dec 3 | Feb 4 | Mar 9 |
Please Note: Due to the ongoing Canada Post strike, delivery of first notices may be delayed. Notices for Elementary school students are currently being distributed through schools.
Potential Impacts
As these letters are sent to parents, you may have an increased demand for vaccination services in your practice and thus an increase in vaccine ordering may be needed.
Parents may contact you to:
- Request information on their child’s vaccination records
- Book an appointment for their child to receive a vaccination
Patients who can only get an immunization appointment after the suspension start date can be instructed to call OPH and provide the appointment details to avoid suspension.
Ottawa Public Health works with the school boards to determine the schedule for this process. Each year an attempt is made to stagger the notifications, as we recognize the increased workload these notifications may bring to your office.
Please remind parents to report to Ottawa Public Health every time their child is immunized. Parents can visit ParentingInOttawa.ca/Immunization for more information on reporting vaccine updates.
Thank you for your continued support in ensuring your patients’ immunizations are up to date, which in turn protects residents of Ottawa against infectious diseases.