After public backlash, Oakville looks into curbside service for marriage licences
Published October 20, 2021 at 3:08 pm
In light of a public backlash, the Town of Oakville is looking into curbside service for picking up marriage licences.
Currently, anyone who is not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is barred from entering Town Hall to pick up a licence or get married.
The regulations cover all Town-operated facilities, including Town Hall, and require both proof of identity and vaccination status before being allowed in.
“Marriage licences are regulated by the Province. It is by their rules that we must follow,” Jane Clohecy, Oakville Chief Administrative Officer, said at a Town Council meeting earlier this week. “We have no ability really to change or alter those at all.”
Clohecy explained they are looking at ways to streamline the process to make it easier for people to apply for services online.
As well, she said other municipalities have implemented a curbside service, allowing people to pick up their marriage licences outside the building.
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She points to Vaughan as one example and says the Town of Oakville is following up with them as well as some others to see what is entailed in that.
“At this point in time, people that can obtain a marriage licence from Oakville would be those who are fully vaccinated until we work through those two processes to find an easier way,” the Oakville CAO said.
The Town plans to update councillors this week on the number of marriage licences currently being turned away because of non vaccinations.
“There is a fairly limited number, so I would say overall I think the number of marriage licences that come in on a daily basis is maybe 10 is what we’ve seen,” Clohecy said in response to a question on the numbers asked by Ward 6 Councillor Natalia Lishchyna.
“But that includes all of them. Not just ones that are not vaccinated who aren’t able to enter our facility.”
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