Notary Public

Notary public services in Newmarket

Affidavits, statutory declarations, certified true copies and travel consent letters — witnessed, sworn and sealed the way Ontario requires. Bring the original document and photo identification, and don’t sign anything before you arrive.

Call now · 416-545-9482 Book an appointment

Call first and I’ll tell you exactly what to bring. Fast appointments available · We speak Russian & English

What’s covered

What a notary public can do for you

Each of these is a formal act with rules attached — who has to be present, what has to be an original, and what the notary must see with their own eyes. Here is what each one actually is.

01 Affidavits: A written statement you swear or affirm is true, signed in front of a notary. Courts, insurers, banks and government offices all ask for them — for name changes, estate matters, insurance claims, and anywhere evidence has to be given in writing.
02 Statutory declarations: The same formality without an oath: a declaration that certain facts are true. Common for proof of marital or single status, common-law relationships, identity, a change of name, or a document that has been lost or destroyed.
03 Certified true copies: I compare your original document against a photocopy and certify that the copy is a true copy. Passports, permanent-resident cards, driver’s licences, diplomas, birth and marriage certificates. Bring the original — a copy of a copy cannot be certified.
04 Travel consent letters: For a child travelling without one or both parents. The letter names the accompanying adult, the travel dates and the destination, and is signed by the parent or guardian staying behind. Border officers and airlines can ask to see one, and it is far easier to have it notarised before you fly than to explain its absence at the border.
05 Other sworn and witnessed documents: Signatures witnessed and oaths administered on documents already drawn up elsewhere — pension and bank forms, insurance and consent forms, letters of invitation, and paperwork sent to you from abroad. If you aren’t sure whether your document needs a notary or a commissioner of oaths, call and ask before you make the trip.

The one thing a notary cannot do is tell you what your document should say. If the wording itself is the question, that is legal advice — and you’ll be told so rather than guessed at.

How it works

Four steps, one appointment

None of it is complicated, but the order matters — and one wrong move, usually signing early, means starting again.

Step 01

Call and describe the document

Tell me what it is, how many people have to sign, and where it is going afterwards. That is usually enough for me to say what to bring and whether anything needs doing first.
Step 02

Bring the original and photo ID

Government-issued photo identification for everyone who is signing. The document itself must be the original — and it must not be signed yet.
Step 03

Sign in front of me

I confirm who you are, satisfy myself that you understand what you are signing and are signing freely, administer the oath or affirmation where one is required, and then witness your signature.
Step 04

Sealed, stamped and signed

The notarial certificate, my signature, my seal and the date go on the document and you leave with it. If it is going outside Canada, say so before we start — there may be a further step.

Before you come

What to bring

Five minutes of checking now saves a second trip later.

Government-issued photo ID — driver’s licence, passport, PR card or Ontario photo card. Some documents call for two pieces.
The original document, unsigned. If you have already signed it, say so on the phone — a clean copy may be needed.
Everyone who has to sign, in person, each with their own identification.
For a certified true copy: the original itself, not a scan, a photograph or a photocopy.
For a travel consent letter: the child’s full name and date of birth, the travel dates and destination, the accompanying adult’s details, and ID for the parent who is signing.
If the document is going to another country, the name of that country — it can change what is needed.

If you aren’t sure whether something counts, bring it. It is easier to leave a document in the folder than to drive back for it.

Scope

What an Ontario notary is — and isn’t

If you grew up with a civil-law нотариус, an Ontario notary public is a narrower job than the one you are picturing. Worth knowing before you book.

What I can do

Administer oaths and affirmations, and commission affidavits and statutory declarations.
Certify that a photocopy is a true copy of an original I have seen.
Witness signatures and notarise documents, including documents written in Russian.
Explain, in plain Russian or English, what the document in front of you is for.

What I can’t do

Draft your document or advise you on what it should say — that is legal advice.
Draw up or register property transfers, wills or deeds the way a civil-law notary does in Russia, Ukraine or Kazakhstan. Ontario does not work that way.
Certify a translation. A translator prepares the translation and swears an affidavit that it is accurate; that affidavit can be commissioned here.
Issue an apostille. Apostilles on Ontario documents are issued by the province, not by a notary — notarisation is the step that comes first.

Notary public appointments in Ontario are made under the Notaries Act.

Licensed and in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario, and a commissioned Notary Public for Ontario.

Questions

Common questions about notarising a document

Can I sign the document before I arrive?

No — and it is the most common wasted trip. A notary has to witness the signature. If the document is already signed, you will usually need a fresh, unsigned copy.

Do I need an appointment?

Call first. It takes a minute, it means the right paperwork is ready when you arrive, and appointments are available quickly.

Is an Ontario notary the same as a нотариус?

No. In Ontario a notary public witnesses signatures, administers oaths and certifies copies. Property transactions, wills and deeds are handled by lawyers here, not by notaries. If you need something a нотариус would have done at home, ask — I’ll tell you who actually does it in Ontario.

My document is in Russian. Is that a problem?

Not for the notarisation. I read and speak Russian, so I can satisfy myself that you understand what you are signing. A certified translation is a separate job: a translator prepares it and swears an affidavit that it is accurate — and that affidavit can be commissioned here.

Will my notarised document be accepted outside Canada?

That depends on the country and on what the receiving authority asks for. Many documents leaving Canada need an apostille, which the province issues after the document has been notarised. Tell me where it is going before we start.

Also here

The other things I do

Next step

Get the document notarised properly

Call, describe the document, and come in with the original and your identification.

416-545-9482 Ask a question

Not a law firm. Paralegal services are provided within the scope permitted by the Law Society of Ontario.