As part of the revisions, there will also be regulatory changes to expand the list of offences that prevent people convicted of “serious crimes from legally changing their name.”
Alec Salloum
Regina Leader-Post
Saskatchewan is amending the legislation for name changes in order to allow multiple surnames and mononyms while also making changes with an eye toward personal safety.
On Wednesday afternoon, Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill introduced legislation to modernize aspects of the laws governing name changes in the province.
The amendments are titled the Vital Statistics Amendment Act, 2025 and the Change of Name Amendment Act, 2025.
Here’s what you need to know:
Why the changes?
Approximately 1,000 Saskatchewan residents per year request a legal name change, according to the province.
“Saskatchewan is becoming increasingly diverse and there are some common barriers people encounter when they want to name their baby or request a name change,” said Cockrill in a news release. “The removal of the maximum number of surnames, as an example, will provide greater flexibility to register different naming conventions, and remove some unnecessary hurdles that have become apparent in recent years.”
What’s changing?
According to the release, key changes include:
- Addressing current surname limitations, allowing for more than two surnames to be registered.
- Permitting registration of single names — also known as mononyms — when the name holds cultural or religious significance.
- Removing the requirement to provide proof that a spouse is aware of a name change request to protect privacy and personal safety.
- Expanding the list of agencies that can be notified of a name change, including law enforcement.
- Enhancing the ability of the registrar to issue certificates or make necessary amendments to registrations without requiring a court order.
What about disqualifying offences?
As part of the revisions, there will also be regulatory changes to expand the list of offences that prevent people convicted of “serious crimes from legally changing their name.”
In 2020, the Regina Leader-Post reported that a 76-year-old sex offender and child pornographer moved to Regina and changed his name after being released from a U.S. prison. It led to a requirement that name change applicants provide a criminal record check from a police service while also giving the province the discretion to deny an application if the person has been convicted of certain criminal offences.
According to the province, the latest amendments “are supported by police and public agencies who rely on proper identification when working with the public, as well as other vital statistics agencies across Canada.”
The provincial government also says the changes better align with other provinces.
alsalloum@postmedia.com
