A city hall wedding in Canada is a short, non-religious ceremony with a licensed officiant, two witnesses and a small group of guests. Toronto, Ottawa and Winnipeg run their own ceremonies with a City officiant, and Vancouver rents out its Council Chamber while you bring the officiant. Edmonton doesn't allow ceremonies inside City Hall, Montréal's City Hall points couples to the courthouse, in Calgary the civil route runs through Alberta's marriage commissioners, and in Halifax it runs through judges and justices of the peace. On the official pages, prices run from $168 plus HST for a weekday ceremony in Ottawa to just under $1,000 plus GST for the largest Vancouver package.
My mom Debi and I have a real soft spot for these weddings. They are calm, personal and quick, and they leave room in the budget for a lovely dinner afterwards. Here is how each city does it, taken only from the cities' and provinces' own pages.
What every civil ceremony needs
Whatever city you're in, the basics are the same:
- ✦A marriage licence from your province. Some cities, like Ottawa, won't book your ceremony until you have one, so this usually comes first.
- ✦Two witnesses. Toronto can supply them for a fee, while Ottawa and Winnipeg say plainly that they don't. Plan to bring your own.
- ✦An officiant. Either a City officiant who comes with the booking, or one you hire yourself.
- ✦ID. Bring government photo ID. Toronto asks for the same pieces you used for the licence.
Witness age rules differ from place to place, so check before you ask a younger cousin to sign.
Toronto: Old City Hall and North York
Toronto runs civil weddings as a pilot program: a 30 minute, non-religious ceremony performed by a City officiant.
Old City Hall ceremonies take place in the former Council Chamber on select Thursdays, between 10 am and 3:30 pm, for up to 25 people. The 2027 price is $566.25 including HST, with a $136.85 non-refundable deposit when you reserve. Outside officiants aren't allowed there.
Dates are limited and released in batches. The City says its 2026 Thursdays are full, that January to March 2027 Thursdays have been released, and that reservations open weekly, six months ahead. There's no waiting list, so checking the reservation site for cancellations is your best bet.
North York Civic Centre offers civil weddings on Thursdays and Fridays from 10 am to 3 pm, at $441.95 including HST. Select Saturdays there cost $481.50 including HST.
You need a valid Ontario licence ($180 in Toronto) for your consultation, and for North York weekdays you need it before you can book one. You also need two witnesses, at least 16 and there in person. If you're short, the City can provide one for $30.40 each, including HST.
Want your own officiant instead? Wedding chambers at the North York, Scarborough and York civic centres rent for $136.85 per 30 minutes, including HST. That's the room only.
Ottawa: City Hall, Orléans and Ben Franklin Place
Ottawa holds ceremonies at City Hall (110 Laurier Avenue West), at the Orléans client service centre and at Ben Franklin Place in Nepean. They last about 20 minutes, in English or French (not bilingual).
- ✦Cost (2026): $168 plus HST on weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm, and $252 plus HST for the Friday 5 pm and 6 pm slots and on Saturdays.
- ✦Booking: in person at a client service centre, and only once you have a valid Ontario licence.
- ✦Room size: 10 people in total: the officiant, you two, two witnesses and up to five guests.
- ✦Witnesses: two, at least 12 years old. The City doesn't provide them.
Refunds carry a $50 administrative fee.
Vancouver: micro-weddings at City Hall
Vancouver hosts 30 minute micro-weddings in its Council Chamber. You bring your own officiant, licence and two witnesses, plus a photographer if you'd like one. The 2026 prices:
- ✦Small (up to 10 people): $332.75 plus GST, on four dates a year
- ✦Medium (up to 20): $665.50 plus GST
- ✦Large (up to 30): $998.25 plus GST
You send a booking request and the City replies within 13 business days. There are no refunds, and one reschedule is allowed. The City sets the dates, mostly Fridays, and releases them a few months at a time. Some sell out, so check its page for what's left.
For the legal side, a B.C. licence costs $100, and a provincial marriage commissioner's base fee is $75 plus GST ($78.75) for one hour. B.C. asks for two witnesses over age 19.
Calgary and Edmonton: book a marriage commissioner
Edmonton's City Hall page says wedding ceremonies are not permitted inside, though wedding party photos can be booked there for $80 per 1.5 hour slot, on weekends and on weekdays when space allows. In Calgary, the City's wedding pages cover park and garden venues you can rent rather than ceremonies at City Hall.
In Alberta, civil ceremonies are performed by marriage commissioners appointed by the province. Find one through the province's officiant lookup or ask a registry agent, and ask about fees, since they vary. You need two witnesses aged 18 or older, and everyone must be physically present. Your licence comes from a registry agent, with a $40 government fee plus the office's service fee, and there's no waiting period.
Montréal: the courthouse route
Montréal's City Hall is not a wedding venue and directs couples to the Palais de justice de Montréal. In Québec, a court clerk performs a courthouse ceremony for $324 plus taxes, or $431 plus taxes outside the courthouse (2026 tariff).
The big difference is time. Your officiant publishes a notice on the Directeur de l'état civil's website for 20 days before the wedding, and the province suggests filing several weeks ahead. You'll need two witnesses. Two Montréal boroughs list marriages performed by the borough mayor, but one says it isn't taking new requests, so call first. Our guide to getting married in Quebec walks through the paperwork.
Winnipeg: Friday afternoons at City Hall
- ✦When: Fridays, noon to 4 pm, in one hour slots, booked at least 14 days ahead
- ✦Cost: $615 plus GST, with a $100 non-refundable deposit
- ✦Where: the Mayor's Foyer or City Hall Courtyard (up to 25 guests), or the Susan A. Thompson Building foyer (up to 10)
- ✦Witnesses: each of you brings one, since the City doesn't provide them
An officiant is included, and ceremonies run 5 to 10 minutes in English or French. The licence costs $100 at the City Clerk's Department and must be bought at least 24 hours before.
Halifax: a judge or justice of the peace
In Nova Scotia, civil weddings are performed by judges and justices of the peace. For a courthouse ceremony, contact your local Justice Centre: each courthouse has a marriage scheduler, and staff can tell you the current cost. Outside a courthouse, an Administrative Justice of the Peace charges $200, plus $100 for a rehearsal if you want one, and can bill for mileage, parking and tolls. Your licence ($132.70) must reach the officiant at least three days before the ceremony, and you need two witnesses who are at least 16.
When the city hall dates are gone
City-run dates are limited. If yours is taken, or you'd rather marry in a park, a garden or a restaurant's private room, a licensed officiant can come to you. When I checked in late October 2026, officiants on OpenDates had more than 950 open dates in the next three months alone.
Browse officiants with open dates in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Québec. Ask about their fee, travel and what's included before you book.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a city hall wedding cost in Canada?
On the cities' own pages: $168 plus HST for a weekday ceremony in Ottawa, $441.95 including HST at North York Civic Centre, $566.25 including HST at Toronto's Old City Hall in 2027, $615 plus GST in Winnipeg, and $332.75 to $998.25 plus GST for Vancouver's packages, where you also hire the officiant. Your licence is extra.
How far ahead should we book a city hall wedding?
It depends on the city. Winnipeg asks for at least 14 days. Toronto releases Old City Hall Thursdays weekly, six months ahead, and they fill quickly. In Québec, leave time for the 20 day notice.
Do we need witnesses for a courthouse wedding?
Yes, two. Ottawa and Winnipeg don't provide them. Toronto's civil wedding program can, for $30.40 each including HST.
Making it yours
A city hall ceremony can be the whole wedding or the legal half of a bigger day. Either way, you can still have the photographer, the dinner and your favourite people around you. On OpenDates you can see which officiants, photographers and venues are free on your date before you write to anyone. It is free for couples, always.
Fees and booking rules change, sometimes every year. Please confirm the details with your city or province before you book.
Happy planning! Kristina
Sources
- ✦City of Toronto: Civil weddings
- ✦City of Toronto: Booking a wedding chamber at a civic centre
- ✦City of Toronto: Applying for a marriage licence
- ✦City of Ottawa: Requesting a civil marriage ceremony
- ✦City of Vancouver: Civil wedding ceremony at City Hall
- ✦Province of British Columbia: Marriage licences
- ✦Province of British Columbia: Marriage commissioners
- ✦City of Edmonton: City Hall
- ✦City of Calgary: Wedding venues
- ✦Government of Alberta: Getting married
- ✦Government of Alberta: Get a marriage licence
- ✦Ville de Montréal: City Hall
- ✦Ville de Montréal: Solemnization of a marriage or a civil union
- ✦Québec.ca: Tariff of court costs, civil marriage and civil union
- ✦Directeur de l'état civil: Publication of a notice of marriage or civil union
- ✦Québec.ca: Witnesses to the marriage
- ✦City of Winnipeg: Weddings at City Hall
- ✦Nova Scotia Court Services: Civil weddings
- ✦Government of Nova Scotia: Apply for a marriage licence
Checked October 2026.
Photos from Pexels.