Information to know

A notary public is a person authorized by the government of Ontario to witness the signing of documents and administer oaths and declarations. A notary public can do everything a commissioner for taking affidavits can do, plus more. They can witness and certify the signing of documents and confirm that copies are true to the original. The notary checks the identity of the people signing and makes sure their signatures match. They also apply an official seal to the document. However, a notary public does not give legal advice or act as a legal representative.

 A will is a document that states what happens to a person's estate when they die. An estate is everything the person owns immediately before death, such as a house, car, or bank account. The deceased person is called a testator. The testator names a person or persons to handle the estate upon their death. This person is called an estate trustee.

Notary Sure does not prepare or draft wills, nor act as a witness to your will. Only certified true copies or commissioning the Affidavit of Execution of a witness can be provided.​

A Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows someone you trust the authority to act on your behalf and make decisions for you should you become unavailable or incapacitated. This person is called an attorney.

This can include:

• Managing money, home, or other property.

• Making healthcare decisions.

​

Notary Sure does not prepare or draft powers of attorney, nor act as a witness to your power of attorney. Only certified true copies or commissioning the Affidavit of Execution of a witness can be provided.

An affidavit is a written declaration of fact that is sworn by a person called an affiant. An affidavit can be used as evidence in legal proceedings or to attest to the truth of certain facts, and must be signed in front of a person authorized to administer oaths.

A Declaration is a written statement that you swear or affirm is true, similar to an affidavit. It’s used for official or legal purposes, like confirming your identity, proving your residency, or declaring facts.

A notarized copy is a photocopy of an original document that a notary public verifies as an exact match. This is useful when you need to provide an official document, like an ID or government paper, to someone else but don’t want to hand over the original. Regular photocopies can be changed or questioned, but a "True Copy," "Certified Copy," or "Notarized Copy" confirms that the copy is accurate and trustworthy.

Before using a document abroad, it may need to be authenticated or you may need to obtain an apostille. This process gives genuineness or validity of the signature of a public official found on the document.

​

The Apostille Convention is an agreement that simplifies the legalization procedure for public documents. There are more than 120 countries that have signed on to be apart of the Apostille Convention.