Registering a Birth in Manitoba

Every child born in Manitoba must be registered with Vital Statistics Agency within five days of the birth or before the baby leaves the health facility. Parent(s) must complete and sign a Registration of Birth form and give it to the medical attendant to send to Vital Statistics Agency. Vital Statistics Agency does not register births that did not occur in Manitoba.

As of July 1, 2011, Vital Statistics Agency, Canada Revenue Agency and Service Canada introduce the Integrated Birth Registration process to Manitoba. This means that parent(s) can choose to apply for Canada Child Benefits or a Social Insurance Number (SIN) for their baby when they complete the Registration of Birth form.

After a baby is born, the hospital staff or midwife will give you an envelope marked "REGISTRATION OF BIRTH PACKAGE / IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS". In this envelope, you will find the following documents:

• The Registration of Birth form, including optional applications for:
  
  
• Canada Child Benefits
• Social Insurance Number
  
  
(NOTE: This form is distributed to new parents by health facility staff and midwives after the birth of a child in Manitoba. For security and verification reasons, this form is not available online.)


• Guide to Completing the Registration of Birth Form
  
  
• Canada Revenue Agency’s information on Canada Child Benefits
  
  
• Service Canada’s information on Social Insurance Number
  
  
• Application for a Manitoba Birth Document (to apply for a birth certificate)
  
  

Questions and Answers

Why do I need to register the birth of my child?

The Vital Statistics Act states that the births of all children born in Manitoba must be registered. Your child needs to be registered before you can apply for a birth certificate. You will need a birth certificate to apply for other official documents such as a passport, driver’s licence and many others.

What if I don’t give birth in a hospital or health care facility?

The midwife should provide the envelope with the forms and information.

If you don’t have a midwife or medical practitioner assisting at the birth, call Vital Statistics Agency for information. It may be more complicated to register the birth under these circumstances, as you will have to obtain independent verification of the birth.

What can I name my child?

All babies must have at least one given (first) name and one last name. The last name may consist of up to four names, combined with or without a hyphen. Babies’ names must consist of letters from A to Z; hyphens and apostrophes may be used. Either name may contain only the following accents:

À Â É È Ê Ë Î Ï Ô Ù Û Ü Ç

Numbers, characters, and symbols other than a hyphen (-) or apostrophe (‘) cannot be used.

How do I get a birth certificate for my child?

You must mail or bring the completed Application for a Manitoba Birth Document and payment to Vital Statistics Agency, 254 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB. The office is open between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

Cheques or money orders are payable to the Minister of Finance.

What is the difference between a birth certificate and a birth registration?

A birth certificate is a document issued by the Vital Statistics Agency to eligible individuals who apply and provide the required security information and fee. Birth certificates are available with or without parent(s)’ names displayed on them. After December 1, 2011, passport applications for children under 16 years of age will require a birth certificate with information on the child’s parent(s).

A birth registration is the official document that records the birth event and related information about the parent(s) and child. Once registered by the Vital Statistics Agency, it remains a permanent record of the birth.

How can I apply for Canada Child Benefits for my baby?

After your child is born, you can complete and sign the consent on the reverse side of the Registration of Birth form. Once Vital Statistics Agency has processed the registration, it will send your information over a secure network to the Canada Revenue Agency. The Canada Revenue Agency will determine if you are eligible for benefits and may contact you directly if they need more information.

OR

You can apply directly to the Canada Revenue Agency.

Who can I contact about my Canada Child Benefits?

For general enquiries about our Canada Child Benefit payments or to change your address, visit the Canada Revenue Agency web site at www.cra.gc.ca, or call 1-800-387-1193.

How can I apply for Social Insurance Number (SIN) for my new baby?

After your child is born, you can complete and sign the consent on the reverse side of the Registration of Birth form. Once Vital Statistics Agency has processed the registration, it will send your information over a secure network to Service Canada. If there are any questions, Service Canada will contact you directly. Service Canada will mail you the SIN card for your baby.

OR

You can apply directly to Service Canada.

Who can I contact if I haven’t received my child’s SIN card?

Call Service Canada at 1-800-O-Canada (1-800-622-6232) or 1-800-926-9105 (teletypewriter TTY).