TORONTO, October 30, 2026 – The City of Toronto recently confirmed that civil wedding ceremonies at Toronto City Hall will be suspended starting in January 2027 due to major renovation and modernization work planned for the building. Couples who have already booked City Hall weddings for 2027 will be contacted by the city and assisted with alternative venue arrangements.
Ministerial Associates, which has provided wedding services at City Hall for decades, will move out when its lease expires on December 31, 2026. The organization has conducted civil wedding ceremonies at City Hall since 1994, primarily serving couples seeking short and simple ceremonies.
Virginia Ceni, head of Ministerial Associates, said the city notified the organization in September that upcoming interior construction would affect the existing wedding venue, making it impossible to renew the lease under its previous terms. The city offered to extend the lease until March 31, 2027, but the organization declined.
City Hall weddings already booked for 2026 will not be affected and will proceed as scheduled. Ministerial Associates will also continue honouring weddings it has previously booked at other venues for 2027.
For couples who have booked City Hall weddings in 2027, the city said it will contact those affected directly and help identify alternative downtown venues. Locations under consideration include Old City Hall, the St. Lawrence Market North Building and other city-owned facilities.
Old City Hall resumed civil wedding services in 2025 and currently offers appointments primarily on Thursdays. Some dates in early 2027 are already fully booked. The city has not yet confirmed whether all affected couples will be able to keep their original wedding dates, nor has it announced when wedding services at Toronto City Hall will resume.
The suspension applies only to wedding ceremonies held inside City Hall. Marriage licence applications will continue to be processed as usual.
Under Ontario law, couples must obtain a valid marriage licence before holding a legal wedding ceremony. The ceremony must be performed by an authorized officiant and attended by two witnesses. After the wedding, couples must separately apply to the Ontario government for an official marriage certificate.
The city said it will continue exploring alternative wedding venues and arrangements for eventually restoring City Hall wedding services during the renovation period.
（LJI by Yuanyuan）
