TORONTO -- Couples wanting to get married amid the COVID-19 pandemic can rejoice knowing that one obstacle has now been removed.
As of Monday, the City of Toronto will resume issuing marriage licences on an appointment basis.
The city has only been issuing marriage licenses on urgent or compassionate grounds since mid-March, but it will now allow soon-to-be newlyweds to book appointments and obtain the much-needed document.
“Summer and fall are popular wedding seasons in Toronto,” Toronto Mayor John Tory said on Friday. “Many Toronto couples already had to cancel or postpone their wedding plans for this year and the wedding industry has been hit hard.”
“We know that even with this service restarting on Monday many couples may choose to wait to have a ceremony with their loved ones, but for some, love cannot wait.”
Couples will need to complete an online application three days prior to the appointment at the North York Civic Centre.
Only one person will be permitted to attend the appointment and they must wear a cloth mask or face covering.
All other civic centres and city hall service counters remain closed.
Early this week, the provincial government announced that up to 50 people will be allowed to gather at outdoor weddings, but only 10 will be allowed to attend the reception.
According to city officials, about 7,000 marriage licences were issued in Toronto between March and June last year. This year, amid the pandemic, that number has dropped to 421.
The city hopes to issue about 1,100 to 1,300 marriage licences a week.
