Waterloo Region – Secondary school suspensions will take effect on Thursday, April 9, 2026, for those who have received a suspension order from Public Health and have not updated their vaccination records or have a valid exemption on file by Monday, April 6, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.  

Letters requesting vaccination records were mailed in December 2025 to 4,385 secondary school students with incomplete records. Suspension orders were mailed in early March 2026 to 3,258 secondary school students whose records remain out of date. These numbers are consistent with historical Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) trends in Waterloo Region.  

"Vaccines are one of the most effective ways to protect your child from serious illness," said Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, Medical Officer of Health, Region of Waterloo. "It is important to keep your child's vaccines up to date and to report them to Public Health promptly to avoid school suspension." 

To avoid suspension:  

• Report vaccines that secondary students have received at regionofwaterloo.ca/vaccines. 

• If a vaccine is needed, book an appointment with your health care provider or call ahead for availability at a walk-in clinic. Report the vaccine to Public Health after you receive it. Your health care provider does not do this for you. 

• Public Health vaccine appointments are available for secondary students who received a suspension order from Public Health and do not have OHIP or a health care provider. Clinics are available by appointment only at 150 Main Street in Cambridge and 20 Weber Street in Kitchener. 

 No further action is required if:  

• You received confirmation from Public Health that you will not be suspended.  

• You have already reported vaccine records but have not yet received confirmation. Public Health is continuing to process a high volume of record submissions, and you will receive a confirmation email as soon as your record has been processed. Please do not call or resubmit your records.  

If you are suspended starting Thursday, April 9, 2026 (suspension day):  

• Book a vaccine appointment with your health care provider or at a Public Health Clinic. Public Health appointments must be booked online. No walk-ins will be accepted. 

• If you have any questions, you may call 519-575-4400 to help you book an appointment or explain your options.  Call volume is expected to be high, and you may have to wait.  

Background  

Routine vaccinations provide protection against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, meningitis, pertussis (whooping cough), and varicella (chickenpox).  The Immunization of School Pupils Act requires all elementary and secondary school students to have proof of these vaccinations or a valid exemption on file with Public Health.  

Questions? Need help?  

• Visit Region of Waterloo Public Health to learn more about school and childcare vaccinations. 

• Call Region of Waterloo Public Health at 519-575-4400. Interpreters are available in over 150 languages. 

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