Starting the week of March 2, 2026, the Renfrew County and District Health Unit is mailing suspension orders to families in Pembroke, Ontario, whose children have incomplete vaccination records. Students aged 4 to 17 who do not have up-to-date records or a valid exemption will be barred from attending school starting the morning of April 15, 2026.
Under provincial law, all students in Ontario must be immunized against nine specific diseases, including measles, polio, and tetanus. At the beginning of this year’s review in January 2026, approximately 3,800 students in the region were found to have records that were either incomplete or had not been reported to local health officials.
To help families avoid these school suspensions, the health unit is hosting local “Let’s Grow with Immunization” clinics in Pembroke on March 4, 2026, and March 5, 2026. Parents are responsible for ensuring these records are updated with public health officials, as doctors do not always send this information directly to the health unit.
Dr. Jason Morgenstern, the Medical Officer of Health for the region, says that keeping these records current is a necessary step for community safety. Families can check their status or find more information on the health unit’s official calendar to book an appointment or submit their documents.
