Ontario’s free vaccine schedule includes recommended vaccines for children at various ages and grades from Kindergarten through Grade 12 to protect them from specific vaccine preventable diseases.
Some of these vaccines are required to attend licensed child care and school in Ontario. Children may have missed some vaccine doses due to clinic disruptions over the last few years.
Vaccines that are routinely provided between the ages of 4-6, to Grade 7 and 8 students, and in high school are now available at the Thunder Bay Vaccine Clinic. We encourage parents in the Thunder Bay area to take advantage of this temporary opportunity and easily get their school-aged children caught up on all routine vaccines. Call TBDHU at 807-625-5900 and press 4 to confirm your child is eligible before bringing them to the Vaccine Clinic on the CLE grounds.
NEW: Saturday vaccine clinics are now available for school-aged children 4 to 18 years old and some younger adults in Thunder Bay. These clinics are BY APPOINTMENT ONLY and will take place March 25 and April 1 at the Main Office Clinic (999 Balmoral Street). Please visit our Immunization Clinics page for more information or call 807-625-5900 and press 4 to book an appointment.
Students Entering School in September 2023
If you have any children who are starting kindergarten, who were previously homeschooled, who previously attended a private school, or who will be attending school in Ontario for the first time, TBDHU needs a copy of their immunization record. TBDHU staff need an accurate history of your child’s vaccines so they can determine whether your child has all the vaccines required under the Immunization of School Pupils Act. Most health care providers do not forward immunization information to TBDHU. If your child received a vaccine at a health care provider’s office, it is your responsibility as their parent/guardian to share this information with the TBDHU. You can ensure that your child’s records are up-to-date when they start school by:
Creating a secure Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) account for your child and submitting all of their vaccine records to us through ICON, OR
TBDHU does not provide vaccines to children of this age at school. However, it’s important for parents/guardians to know that between 4 and 6 years old, children should receive the following vaccines:
These vaccines are required for school attendance in Ontario, or a valid exemption must be on file with TBDHU. For more information, see the “Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA)” section below. Children who are eligible now or missed these vaccines between the ages of 4-6 should receive them as soon as possible. See the tab below to learn how you can take advantage of additional opportunities TBDHU is offering to get your child up to date.
Access additional and temporary TBDHU clinic options if you’re living in Thunder Bay:
Step 1: Call TBDHU at 807-625-5900 and press 4 to confirm your child is eligible for a routine vaccine and to learn more about clinic options.
Step 2: Walk in to our Thunder Bay Vaccine Clinic at the CLE or book an immunization appointment at our 999 Balmoral Street office in Thunder Bay.
Contact your health care provider to make an appointment.
No provider and living in a District community? Call your local TBDHU Branch office to learn more about your vaccination options.
Students in this age group should also stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines.
COVID-19 vaccines are available through a variety of channels including health care providers, pharmacies and TBDHU clinics. More information is available here.
TBDHU hosts school-based vaccine clinics for children in Grade 7 to provide the following vaccines:
Human papillomavirus (HPV-9) vaccine (2 doses); eligible until August 31 of their Grade 12 year; those who start the series at age 15 and older require 3 doses to complete.
Hepatitis B vaccine (2 doses needed); students are eligible until August 31 of their Grade 12 year; those who start the series at 16 and older require 3 doses to complete.
Meningococcal conjugate (Men-C-ACYW) is required for school attendance in Ontario or a valid exemption must on file with TBDHU. For more information, see the “Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA)” section below.
Parents/guardians provide consent for the vaccines. Grade 7 students receive a consent at their school in the fall to take home. Parents can call to provide consent over the phone or submit their consent to the school at any time prior to the school clinic date. For a list of school visit dates, please see the tabs below that applies to the location of your child’s school.
Providing written or verbal consent and ensuring your child attends the scheduled vaccine clinic at their school is the easiest way to keep your child up to date with these vaccines.
In Grade 7, TBDHU plans two school clinics, one in the fall and one in the spring, to offer both doses required in the HPV9 and Hepatitis B vaccine series. If your child missed the school clinic in the fall, they can receive their first doses at the school clinic in the spring; however, it is recommended that they receive the missed doses as soon as possible by choosing one of the options below.
Did your child miss the clinic at their school?
Access additional and temporary TBDHU clinic options if you’re living in Thunder Bay:
Step 1: Call TBDHU at 807-625-5900 and press 4 to confirm your child is eligible for a routine vaccine and to learn more about clinic options.
Step 2: Walk in to our Thunder Bay Vaccine Clinic at the CLE or book an immunization appointment at our 999 Balmoral Street office in Thunder Bay.
Contact your health care provider to make an appointment.
No provider and living in a District community? Call your local TBDHU Branch office to learn more about your vaccination options.
If your child receives an immunization at a health care provider’s office, please share this information with the TBDHU. Most health care providers do not forward immunization information to TBDHU. Parents/guardians can update their child’s records through ICON, a safe online portal. They can also share this information by faxing or emailing it to their closest branch office.
Students in this age group should also stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines.
COVID-19 vaccines are available through a variety of channels including health care providers, pharmacies and TBDHU clinics. More information is available here.
Students in Grade 8 who are missing doses will be offered the missed doses at TBDHU Grade 7 immunization clinics in their school during the 2022/2023 school year. Please see the school clinic calendar tabs below for details on the dates and times of these school visits across the TBDHU service area.
Ensuring that your child gets their missing doses at a school clinic is an easy way to get them caught up on their vaccines. However, it is recommended that they receive the missed doses as soon as possible by choosing one of the options below.
Access additional and temporary TBDHU clinic options if you’re living in Thunder Bay:
Step 1: Call TBDHU at 807-625-5900 and press 4 to confirm your child is eligible for a routine vaccine and to learn more about clinic options.
Step 2: Walk in to our Thunder Bay Vaccine Clinic at the CLE or book an immunization appointment at our 999 Balmoral Street office in Thunder Bay.
Contact your health care provider to make an appointment.
No provider and living in a District community? Call your local TBDHU Branch office to learn more about your vaccination options.
If your child receives an immunization at a health care provider’s office, please share this information with the TBDHU. Most health care providers do not forward immunization information to TBDHU. Parents/guardians can update their child’s records through ICON, a safe online portal. They can also share this information by faxing or emailing it to their closest branch office.
Students in this age group should also stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines.
COVID-19 vaccines are available through a variety of channels including health care providers, pharmacies and TBDHU clinics. More information is available here.
TBDHU visited all elementary schools in the fall of 2022 for first dose clinics. See below for the clinic schedule. Second dose clinic dates for 2023 will be held approximately 6 months following first dose clinics. Dates will be available once confirmed.
Parental consent for vaccines offered in Grade 7 remain active for the duration of your child’s Grade 7 and 8 school years, so that missed vaccines in Grade 7 can be offered at school clinics when your child is in Grade 8.
School
Date
2nd Date if Required
CD Howe Public School
March 28, 2023
Five Mile Public School
March 23, 2023
Vance Chapman Public School
March 31, 2023
Whitefish Valley Public School
March 23, 2023
Bishop Gallagher Senior Elementary School
May 8 & 9, 2023
Elsie McGill Public School
April 13, 2023
McKellar Park Public School
May 11, 2023
Ogden Public School
May 11, 2023
Sherbrooke Public School
April 20, 2023
St. James Public School
April 18, 2023
Algonquin Public School
April 25, 2023
Claude E. Garton Public School
April 25, 2023
Pope John Paul II Senior Elementary School
May 18-19, 2023
Ecole Gron Morgan Public School
May 4, 2023
Crestview Public School
May 30, 2023
Kakabeka Falls Public School
May 25, 2023
Thunder Bay Christian School
May 25, 2023
Bishop EQ Jennings Senior Elementary School
May 12, 2023
McKenzie Public School
May 29, 2023
Westmount Public School
June 1, 2023
Seventh Fire Educational Institute
June 5, 2023
Woodcrest Public School
June 12, 2023
École élémentaire catholique La Vérendrye
June 5, 2023
Gorham Ware Public School
May 26, 2023
IR Churchill Elementary School
May 26, 2023
Kingsway Park Public School
June 2, 2023
Nor'Wester View Public School
May 5, 2023
Valley Central Public School
May 5, 2023
TBDHU visited all elementary schools in District Communities during the fall of 2022 for first dose clinics. See below for the clinic schedule. Second dose clinic dates for 2023 will be held approximately 6 months following first dose clinics. Dates will be available once confirmed.
Parental consent for vaccines offered in Grade 7 remain active for the duration of your child’s Grade 7 and 8 school years, so that missed vaccines in Grade 7 can be offered at school clinics when your child is in Grade 8.
School
First Clinic Date(s)
Second Clinic Date(s)
B.A. Parker
Dorion Public
École Catholique Val-des-Bois
École Notre-Dame-de-Fatima
École Publique Franco-Manitou
École St-Joseph
Franco-Terrace Catholique
George O'Neill Public
Holy Angels Catholic
Holy Saviour Catholic
Manitouwadge Public School
Margaret Twomey Public
Marjorie Mills Public
Nakina Public
Please contact Nakina Medical Clinic or the TBDHU Greenstone Branch Office if you are missing a dose.
Notre-Dame-des-Écoles
Please contact Nakina Medical Clinic or the TBDHU Greenstone Branch Office if you are missing a dose.
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic
Schreiber Public
St. Edward Catholic
St. Hilary Catholic
St. Joseph's Catholic
St. Martin Catholic
Terrace Bay Public
High School Immunizations
High school students are eligible for the following vaccine 10 years after their 4-6 booster:
Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap): a 10 year booster that is a three-in-one vaccine that protects against tetanus (lockjaw), diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).
The Tdap vaccine is required for school attendance in Ontario or a valid exemption must on file with TBDHU. For more information, see the “Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA)” section below.
TBDHU visits high schools once per school year to offer the Tdap vaccine to eligible students. Parents/guardians can provide consent for the vaccines, though high school students can also provide their own consent for immunization if TBDHU nurses determine that they have the capacity to do so. Please see the section below on “Consent for immunization” for more information.
TBDHU will mail consents to the homes of students the year that they become eligible. For a list of school visit dates, please see the tab below that applies to the location of your child’s school.
There is no minimum age of consent for medical treatment in Ontario. Parental consent is encouraged. However, if a high school student attends a school clinic and requests an immunization, TBDHU nurses will assess their capacity to understand the information relevant to making the decision, such as the risks and benefits of the vaccines they are eligible to receive. It is encouraged to talk to your child about the vaccines they are eligible to receive and the options for consenting.
Providing written or verbal consent and/or encouraging your child to attend the scheduled vaccine clinic at their school is the easiest way to keep your child up to date on their vaccines.
Access additional and temporary TBDHU clinic options if you’re living in Thunder Bay:
Step 1: Call TBDHU at 807-625-5900 and press 4 to confirm your child is eligible for a routine vaccine and to learn more about clinic options.
Step 2: Walk in to our Thunder Bay Vaccine Clinic at the CLE or book an immunization appointment at our 999 Balmoral Street office in Thunder Bay.
Contact your health care provider to make an appointment.
No provider and living in a District community? Call your local TBDHU Branch office to learn more about your vaccination options.
If your child receives an immunization at a health care provider’s office, please share this information with the TBDHU. Most health care providers do not forward immunization information to TBDHU. Parents/guardians can update their child’s records through ICON, a safe online portal. They can also share this information by faxing or emailing it to their closest branch office.
Students in this age group should also stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines.
COVID-19 vaccines are available through a variety of channels including health care providers, pharmacies and TBDHU clinics. More information is available here.
Please see the school visit schedule listed below. Consents will be mailed directly to the student’s home addresses and should be returned to the school.
School
Clinic Date(s)
Dennis Franklin Cromarty
Thursday, January 26, 2023
Hammarskjold High School
Thursday, February 9 and Friday February 10, 2023
LaVerendrye
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Matawa Education Centre
Thursday, February 23, 2023
Seventh Fire
Thursday, February 16, 2023
St. Ignatius High School
Thursday, January 19 and Friday, January 20, 2023
St. Patrick High School
Thursday, January 12 and Friday, January 13, 2023
Superior CVI
Thursday, March 9, 2023 and Friday, March 10, 2023
Westgate CVI
Thursday, March 2, 2023 and Friday, March 3, 2023
Thunder Bay Christian School
Thursday, May 25, 2023
School
Clinic Date(s)
Nipigon-Red Rock District High
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Lake Superior High
Monday, April 17, 2023
Geraldton Composite High School
Monday, April 17, 2023
École Secondaire Chateau Jeunesse
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Manitouwadge High
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Marathon High
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Immunization of School Pupils Act
The Immunization of School Pupils Act requires that all students have proof of vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus (lockjaw), polio, measles, mumps and rubella (German measles), meningitis, pertussis (whooping cough), and chickenpox (required for children born in 2010 or later). These infections are covered under Ontario's Routine Immunization Schedule.
Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act, your child can be exempted from immunization for medical reasons or due to conscience or religious belief.
At the end of the session, book an appointment to come into the TBDHU office to receive a Vaccine Education Certificate signed and dated by a TBDHU nurse, as well as to complete and sign an attestation form with a TBDHU nurse. These appointments can be booked by calling your local branch office or toll-free at 1-888-294-6630. Thunder Bay residents can call 807-625-5900 and press 4.
Make copies of your signed Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form and submit the original to your nearest TBDHU office. It is important to keep a copy for your records.
If TBDHU has a child’s immunization record on file that is not up-to-date according to the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), parents/guardians will be notified through a letter sent home by the TBDHU. The letter will provide details and instructions so a suspension can be avoided.
If you receive a letter, please review immediately and contact a TBDHU nurse; call 807-625-5900 in Thunder Bay or contact your nearest branch office. To avoid suspension, always keep your child's immunizations up-to-date according to Ontario's Routine Immunization Schedule, and report all immunizations to the TBDHU.
Immunizations for Home Learners
Studenst learning from home who need vaccines can access immunizations in the following ways:
Access additional and temporary TBDHU clinic options if you’re living in Thunder Bay:
Step 1: Call TBDHU at 807-625-5900 and press 4 to confirm your child is eligible for a routine vaccine and to learn more about clinic options.
Step 2: Walk in to our Thunder Bay Vaccine Clinic at the CLE or book an immunization appointment at our 999 Balmoral Street office in Thunder Bay.
Make an appointment with their health care provider
Those living in a District community should call their local TBDHU Branch office to learn more about their vaccination options.
For Further Information
Call a vaccine nurse at (807) 625-5900 or Toll-Free at 1 (888) 294-6630.
