The milestone
Canada’s membership in the Hague Apostille Convention took effect on 11 January 2024. In the year since, documents destined for other member countries have moved to a single apostille certificate rather than the older authentication-and-legalization chain.
What it changed
For many people sending Ontario documents abroad, the process is now faster and cheaper. Apostilles for Ontario documents are issued by the province’s Official Documents Services, with Global Affairs Canada issuing at the federal level. Non-member countries still use the older legalization route.
The practical takeaway
Prepare a document for its destination when you have it notarized. An apostille certifies the origin of the document — the signature and seal — not its contents, and does not guarantee the receiving country will accept it for its purpose.
Sources
General information only — not legal advice. Confirm any regulatory change against its primary source before relying on it.