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Legal Citations: Statutes

Legislation Citation Template

Legislation - General Format
Title,

statute

volume

 Jurisdiction year, chapter,

other

indexing

element,

(session or

supplement),

 pinpoint

Examples

Examples:

Title,

statute

volume

Juris-

diction

 year, chapter,

other

indexing

element,

(session

or

supplement),

 pinpoint
Criminal Code, RS C 1985, c C-46,     s 745.

SkyDome Act

(Bus

Parking)

 S O 2002, c 8, Schedule K,   s 2.
Income Tax Act, RS C 1985, c 1   (5th Supp), s 18 (1)(m)(iv)

Your citation should look like:

Criminal Code, RSC 1985, c C-46, s 745.

SkyDome Act (Bus Parking), SO 2002, c 8, Schedule K, s 2.

Income Tax Act, RSC 1985, c 1 (5th Supp), s 18(1)(m)(iv)(c).

 

 

 

Elements of a Legislation Citation

Title The short title of the statute, found at the beginning of the statute, underlined OR italicized, followed by a comma.
Statute Volume

Use the abbreviation of the appropriate statute or revised statute.
Jurisdiction

Refers to the County, Province or Territory.

Place the jurisdiction immediately after the statute volume. 
Year

No comma separates the statute volume and the year of publication or consolidation.

Place the year after the jurisdiction, followed by a comma.

A comma follows the year.

When a session spans more than one year, write the full date span of the volume (eg. 2010-11).
Chapter

Abbreviate chapter to "c".

Write the numeric or alphanumeric chapter designation exactly as shown in the statute volume, including dashes and periods. 
Other indexing element Do not abbreviate "Preamble" or "Schedule"
Session or supplement

If a statute volume is divided into several sessions with independent chapter numbering, place the number of the session (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th) and the abbreviation "Sess" in parentheses following the year. 

Refer to the supplement for acts and amendments that were passed during the year in which the Revised Statutes were issued, but that were not included in the version.  Place the supplement number and the abbreviation "Supp" in parentheses after the chapter.
Pinpoint

A pinpoint reference refers to a paragraph number or page number. Since paragraph numbers are more precise, you should cite to them wherever possible.

To cite a specific section of a statute, place a comma after the chapter and then indicate the section or sections.

Abbreviate section to "s", and sections to "ss".

Separate consecutive sections with a dash, and non-consecutive sections with a comma.

Indicate further subdivisions (subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs) as they appear ni the legislation.  Cite unnumbered or unlettered subdivision like a paragraph, abbreviated as "para" or "paras". Do not use parentheses. 

 

Statute Volumes and Abbreviations

Abbreviation Statute Abbreviation

Revised

Statute
S.C. Statutes of Canada R.S.C. Revised Statutes of Canada
S.A. Statutes of Alberta R.S.A. Revised Statutes of Alberta
S.B.C. Statutes of British Columbia R.S.B.C. Revised Statutes of British Columbia
S.S. Statutes of Saskatchewan R.S.S. Revised Statutes of Saskatchewan
S.M. Statutes of Manitoba R.S.M. Revised Statutes of Manitoba
S.O. Statutes of Ontario R.S.O. Revised Statutes of Ontario
S.Q. Statutes of Quebec R.S.Q. Revised Statutes of Quebec
S.N.B. Statutes of New Brunswick R.S.N.B. Revised Statutes of New Brunswick
S.N.S. Statutes of Nova Scotia R.S.N.S. Revised Statutes of Nova Scotia
S.P.E.I. Statutes of Prince Edward Island R.S.P.E.I. Revised Statutes of Prince Edward Island
S.N.L. Statutes of Newfoundland & Labrador R.S.N.L. Revised Statutes of Newfoundland & Labrador
S.Y. Statutes of Yukon R.S.Y. Revised Statutes of Yukon
S.N.W.T. Statutes of the Northwest Territories R.S.N.W.T. Revised Statutes of Northwest Territories
S.Nu. Statutes of Nunavut R.S.N.W.T. (Nu.) Revised Statutes of Nunavut
       

 

Helpful Hints

In-text Citation of CASES:

  • Cases must be either underlined OR in italics when used within the text of your assignment/argument.

Handwritten or Typed?

  • When writing a citation by hand, always underline the citation
  • If you are submitting your work typed, it can be either underlined or italicized.
    • Remain consistent in the style chosen.

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