News Release

e-Laws Becomes An Official Source Of Law

McGuinty Government Improving Access To Justice For Ontarians

December 1, 2008

News

Ontario is one of the first jurisdictions in Canada to recognize its legislation website as an official source of law.

On November 30, 2008, a regulation under the Legislation Act, 2006, came into effect, making copies of statutes and regulations published on e-Laws official copies of the law.

Both of the following are official:

• An on-screen display of a statute or regulation viewed on, or downloaded from, the e-Laws website
• A printout of a statute or regulation viewed on, or downloaded from, the e-Laws website.

This applies to the Source Law, Current Consolidated Law and Period in Time Law databases on e-Laws.

Previously, only laws printed by the Queen's Printer were official sources of law and these publications would be out of date as soon as the law was amended. As laws on e-Laws are updated quickly - usually within two business days - the public will now have access, free of charge, to up-to-date, official versions of Ontario laws.

Like Justice Ontario, a one-stop source for questions about Ontario's legal system, the province's e-Laws website improves access to justice. On e-Laws, statutes and regulations can be located with a few clicks of a mouse.

Quotes

"E-Laws provides Ontarians with easy access to Ontario's laws. Making e-Laws an official source of law recognizes the reality of today's modern technological environment," said Attorney General Chris Bentley. "Eliminating our reliance on printed publications not only makes the law more accessible but does so in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way."

Quick Facts

• Ontarians can access e-Laws through Justice Ontario.
• In 2001, Ontario became the first province to publish its statutes and regulations online.
• The Legislation Act, 2006, came into effect July 25, 2007, and brought together numerous provisions about the consolidation, publication and interpretation of Ontario laws in one Act.

Learn More

Learn more about the e-Laws website.

Contacts

Sheamus Murphy,
Ministry of the Attorney General
Minister's Office, 416-326-1785

Brendan Crawley,
Ministry of the Attorney General
Communications Branch, 416-326-2210

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