The change
Canada's membership in the Hague Apostille Convention took effect on 11 January 2024. For documents going to other Convention countries, a single apostille now replaces the older authentication-and-legalization chain. For non-Convention countries, the older legalization route still applies.
Who issues the apostille
For Ontario documents, apostilles are issued by the province's Official Documents Services; Global Affairs Canada issues at the federal level. Which applies depends on the document. The apostille attaches to the public document or to a notarial certificate on it.
What it means for your notarial work
When you notarize a document you know is going abroad, prepare it so the apostille authority will accept it — correct notarial certificate, legible seal and signature, and the right underlying public document. A document notarized without that destination in mind is the one that comes back to be redone.
What to tell the client
Explain that 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. Point them to the correct issuing authority; you notarize, the authority apostilles.