Types of Marriages

An authorized official needs to marry you to ensure that a marriage is performed properly and legally. There are two types of marriage ceremonies performed in Ontario:

Religious marriage: a recognized religious official marries you.
Civil marriage: a non-denominational officiant marries you.

If you do not have an Officiant already booked and need Town assistance, we're happy to assist you by:

Referring you to a list of local Ontario wedding officiants; or
If you prefer a Council Chambers wedding or are unable to find an officiant, our Town Clerk's are authorized to perform weddings in the Province of Ontario. PLEASE NOTE: The Town of Fort Frances officiants are not required to perform marriages, and scheduling is based on their own availability. Evening and weekend availability to the end of September 2024 is full! Council Chambers during regularly scheduled office hours are available.

Who Can Perform a Marriage in Ontario?

Registered Marriage Officiants:

The following persons registered with the Office of the Registrar General as a marriage officiant under the Marriage Act can perform a marriage in Ontario:

A person duly recognized by their religious body as entitled to perform religious marriages in Ontario, or;
A person who belongs to, and is duly recognized as entitled to perform marriages by a band, First Nation, Métis, or Inuit organization or community or Indigenous entity located in whole or in part in Ontario.

Civil Marriage Officiants:

The following persons can perform civil marriages in Ontario:

A Municipal Clerk and/or their delegate authorized to perform civil marriages in Ontario;
A Judge;
An Ontario Associate Judge; or
An Ontario Justice of the Peace.

Gabrielle Lecuyer
Municipal Clerk
glecuyer@fortfrances.ca
Phone: 807-274-5323 ext. 1215

Chelsea Greig
Communications Coordinator and Deputy Clerk
cgreig@fortfrances.ca
Phone: 807-274-5323 ext. 1212