What proof does a clinic or hospital need before listing intended parents on a birth registration?

Hospitals and clinics generally rely on the parents to provide the documentation that supports registering a birth under Ontario's parentage rules — they are not the decision-makers on legal parentage, but they will ask for the paperwork needed to complete the registration accurately. In a surrogacy or assisted reproduction situation, this typically means having the written pre-conception agreement available, along with the surrogate's, and her spouse's or partner's if applicable, written post-birth confirmation that they consent to the intended parents being recognized. Where a court has issued a declaration of parentage, that order itself is the key document supporting registration.

Parents should confirm with their specific hospital or clinic, and with the Office of the Registrar General, what exact documentation they expect to see, since practices can differ and it is far easier to gather everything before the birth than to sort out a registration problem afterward. Getting this paperwork organized in advance, ideally with a lawyer's help reviewing it, reduces the risk of delay in getting the child's identity documents issued.