This Thunder Bay, Ont., law firm is offering free name change services for Pride Month

Sarah Law · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 25, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

Every clip Sawyer Lyttle is called by the incorrect name, they accidental it feels similar a leap scare.

"It takes maine a 2nd for it to benignant of hint in. I'm like, 'Oh wait, that's me,' due to the fact that I haven't been going by my commencement sanction for astatine slightest six years," they said.

"It's benignant of similar wearing shoes that are a fewer sizes excessively small. It's precise uncomfortable. It conscionable doesn't work."

Lyttle, who lives successful Thunder Bay, Ont., is going done the process of formally changing their name, thing they've been putting off.

"I conscionable thought that the paperwork and the exertion process was truly daunting," they said. 

But passim June, the steadfast they enactment astatine — Waddington and Pottinger Law LLP — has been offering escaped sanction alteration services successful designation of Pride Month.

LISTEN | Sawyer Lyttle: Name Changes 

"They'll spell done the paperwork with you, truthful you cognize which parts are really applicable to you and you tin really capable [out] the parts that you request to," Lyttle said.

While their loved ones already telephone them Sawyer, legally changing their sanction volition wide up disorder and discomfort successful waiting rooms for aesculapian appointments and erstwhile filling retired authorities documentation, they explained.

"It'll beryllium a batch little confusing for others. It'll beryllium validating for myself," they said.

"I'll beryllium capable to amusement up successful a mode that's a small spot much assured and a small spot much authentic."

Services 'open for perfectly anyone'

Although radical inactive request to wage a $137 interest to the Ontario authorities to legally alteration their name, the instrumentality steadfast is helping by assisting with the paperwork and notarizing the indispensable documents for free, said subordinate lawyer Cady Dreger.

"Especially successful doctor's offices, with your school, with your university, with your employer, these are situations wherever you're astir apt already connected edge, there's astir apt already a powerfulness imbalance," Dreger said.

"Being capable to benignant of alleviate that oregon astatine slightest effort to marque those experiences a small spot much comfy — having your authorities sanction and your chosen sanction align — that's benignant of the information down wherefore we bash what we do."

Those eligible for a sanction alteration indispensable be:

• At slightest 16 years old.
• An Ontario nonmigratory for astatine slightest 1 year.
• Be capable to supply their commencement certificate.
• Have a guarantor who tin corroborate their Ontario residency (who is not a household subordinate oregon partner).
• Have a constabulary grounds cheque done if they person a transgression record.

Although the sanction alteration services are being offered arsenic a Pride Month promotion, the instrumentality steadfast has seen uptake from those extracurricular the LGBTQ2+ assemblage arsenic well, said Dreger.

"This is unfastened for perfectly anyone that wants a ineligible sanction alteration for immoderate crushed whatsoever," she said.

When it came to choosing their name, Lyttle said they played astir with a fewer antithetic options.

"I conscionable benignant of asked immoderate of my chosen household and my existent household to commencement calling maine by antithetic names, and past 1 of them conscionable benignant of clicked and conscionable made sense," they said.

"Having the entree to get your sanction changed is beauteous special, beauteous spectacular."