Created by the BC Law Institute, the Canadian Centre for Elder Law is a national, non-profit body dedicated to exploring the particular legal issues which affect older Canadians through research, law reform, and education. CCEL has published plain language materials on these topics targeting health care practitionners, non-profit organizations, and the general public.
This guide will help you research and locate information and resources for Alberta Legislation.
This guide is created by Alberta Law Libraries
The Department of Justice believes it is of fundamental importance to Nunavummiut that their laws be accessible. To ensure access to the laws of Nunavut, the following may be copied freely for personal use: the statutes and regulations of Nunavut, consolidations of the statutes and regulations of Nunavut, and consolidations of the statutes and regulations of the Northwest Territories as amended, adopted or enacted for Nunavut as of April 1, 1999.
A collection of CPLEA’s plain language articles about democracy found on LawNow.org
Search for actions in Civil, Family, Divorce, Bankruptcy, Apeals, Surroget – Estate and Surrogate – Represented Adult. Use this online form to request a search of civil actions in Alberta Court of King’s Bench, or to request a search of a specific action either by party name or by court action/ file number.
This Glossary of Parliamentary Procedure is produced by Procedural Services of the House of Commons for the information of the general public.
Generally, employment refers to work in non-unionized work settings. Employment standards are the minimum standards established by law that define and guarantee rights in the workplace. Each province and territory has its own legislation.This research guide is provided by Alberta Law Libraries.
Related topics include:
The Privy Council Office has created an online database that allows users to search for federal Orders in Council (OICs) made between 1990 and the present. Check it out here if you are looking for a Federal Order in Council.
Calgary Legal Guidance provides free legal advice for individuals with low income. If you need legal information and advice on: Family issues; Criminal issues; Civil issues; Restraining Orders; Emergency Protection Orders etc; Social Benefit issues; and; an evening course on Do Your Own Divorce.
Calgary Legal Guidance runs many workshops and presentations in the community on a variety of legal topics such as:
If you are an organization or agency that would like a presentation on a legal topic please contact Kim Feodoroff at 403.716.6476.
The Edmonton Community Legal Centre is a non profit organization that offers free legal information, advice and representation for people living with low income in the Edmonton area. The Centre helps individuals and families who have legal problems in the following areas: Landlord and Tenant; Employment/ Wrongful Dismissal; Small Claims; Income Support Advocacy; Human Rights; Debt; Immigration. The Centre is also part of the PBLA Civil Claims Duty Counsel project out of the Provincial Court.
Canada’s parliamentary system is open and democratic. It offers the opportunity for people to give their input and it is designed to make sure proposals for laws are carefully considered. Canada’s Parliament consists of three parts: the King, the Senate and the House of Commons. They work together to make the laws for our country. This guide provides an overview of the following topics: The Canadian Parliament, Who’s Who in the House, A Working Day in the Commons Chamber, Parliamentary Highlights, Making Canada’s Laws,The Role of a Member of Parliament, and Being Part of Parliament.
In Canada’s Parliament, bills may originate in eith of its two houses – the Senate and the House of Commons. Most legislation begins in the House of Commons. Regardless of where a bill originates, it must be passed by both houses in identical form before it can receiv Royal Assent and become law. This guide provides an overview of the process of how a Senate Bill goes through Parliament.
The following guide will explain the process by which a typical government initiated bill becomes law. This guide provides an overview of the Federal Legislative Process. To beome law, a bill must first be introduced in either the Senate or the House of Commons. It must then pass through various stages in each House: first, second and third reading. Then it must receive Royal Assent.
The Guide is meant to act as a resource for lawyers to learn about historical and cultural elements that provide context for the professional relationship between an Indigenous person and their lawyer. It also provides tools to help lawyers represent Indigenous clients as effectively as possible, and a number of resources to encourage lawyers to continue their education. The Advocates’ Society, in partnership with the Indigenous Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario, developed the Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples.
Where did builders find the marble for the Legislature Building? How is an American state Legislature different from our provincial Legislature? What happens during a typical legislative session? This booklet is designed to address these and many other questions related to the history, traditions and procedures of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. It also contains review questions and answers as well as a glossary of parliamentary terminology.
Acts are passed by members of the legislative assembly (MLAs). They are introduced as bills, and debated in the Legislature before being put to a vote. If the assembly passes a bill, it receives royal assent from the Lieutenant Governor, at which point it becomes law.
For further information on this process, see the Citizen’s Guide to the Alberta Legislature.
For information on Alberta’s published statutes and regulations, see Finding Alberta Legislation
This resource is provided by Alberta Law Libraries. Provides information on finding provincial, federal, and internation cases.
A searchable database of Alberta judgments can be found on CanLii. For official versions of judgments, copies of the original court files may be obtained through the Alberta Courts. For more information, see the appropriate level of court:
Court of Appeal judgments;
Court of King’s Bench judgments;
Alberta Court of Justice judgments
CanLII (Canadian Legal Information Institute) is a free, non-profit online database that makes Canadian law publicly accessible. For Alberta specifically, the site provides free access to Alberta’s consolidated statutes and regulations, court decisions from all three levels of Alberta courts (Provincial Court, Court of King’s Bench, and Court of Appeal), and decisions from provincial tribunals — all searchable and up to date.
The National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP) is committed to advancing understanding of the challenges and hard choices facing the very large numbers of Canadians who come to court without counsel. The Project works to promote dialogue and collaboration among all those affected by the self-represented litigant phenomenon, both justice system professionals and litigants themselves. They publish resources designed specifically for SRLs, as well as research reports that examine the implications for the justice system.
The Public Legal Education program at Medicine Hat College provides general education and information about the law and the legal system for people without legal training. During these sessions you will gain knowledge about laws of Alberta and how they apply to you. Professionals from related fields instruct these courses and answer your questions. Seminars are free of charge, thanks to the professionals who volunteer their time as well as grant funding from the Alberta Law Foundation. The Brooks Campus also offers public legal education workshops from time to time.
This tipsheet give an outline of how to tell if the legal information you are looking at is jurisdictionally correct, up-to-date, and provided by a reliable source.
The Student Legal Services Legal Education Project (Edmonton, AB) manifests itself in three main ways: lectures, mock trials, and summer law camps.Presentations to school classes can be scheduled to fit class time, upon discussion between the teacher and the Student Legal Services co-ordinator. For more information on the opportunities offered by the Project check out thier website
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office has provided these Frequently Asked Questions about Copyright for your use.
The act outlining the rights and responsibilities of people living in “common law” relationships (not marriages) or who have signed an interdependent relationship agreement.
This site is about the history of Canada through the words of the men and women who shaped the nation. Built around the Government Documents collection of the Early Canadiana Online collection, it integrates narrative text with links to primary source texts. The site has been designed for students and teachers of Canadian studies, history and law, but will also be useful to researchers and anyone else interested in Canada’s past.
Through the Criminology Information Service (CIS), the Centre provides professional and innovative solutions to criminal justice communities worldwide. The CIS houses the leading Canadian research collection of criminological material, consisting of more than 25.000 books, journals, government reports, statistics and other documents, which can be accessed in person or electronically via the World Wide Web. The information covers a wide range of subject areas, including public and private policing; violence deviance and social control; young offenders; criminology, and criminal law.
Each year, UNICEF’s flagship publication, The State of the World’s Children, closely examines a key issue affecting children. The report includes supporting data and statistics and is available in French and Spanish language versions.
Appeals Officers in occupational health and safety, designated by the Minister of Labour and grouped under an administrative structure known as the Occupational Health and Safety Tribunal Canada (Tribunal), exercise the functions of an administrative tribunal.The mission of the Appeals Officers is to ensure expert, independent, unbiased quality service to all parties by treating them equally, fairly and with understanding, respect and dignity.
The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) has released this second report on the working and living conditions of foreign workers in Alberta. Entrenching Exploitation updates and expands upon the first report, documenting serious exploitation and abuse at the hands of employers and the government. This PDF (44 pages, 2009) is available for free download.
Calgary’s 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness was created by the Calgary Committee to End Homelessness, a community-based, multi-stakeholder, leadership group who issued the Plan and selected the Foundation to implement the Plan. On this website, find out about the progress of the 10 Year Plan, the research of the foundation, and information on homelessness and affordable housing in Calgary.
This index provides bibliographic access to materials associated with more than 200 federal Royal Commissions that have taken place since Confederation. There are approximately 7000 items in the index that includes commission reports, briefs, submissions, evidence, working papers and other documents.
The Treaty Making in Canada section of the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) website includes resources on over 70 historical treaties negotiated with First Nations between 1701 and 1923, including historical research reports, images, maps, and bibliographies.
The purpose of the Centre is to promote the development of community-centred action research on violence against women and children. The Centre facilitates individuals, groups and institutions representing the diversity of the community to pursue research questions and training opportunities related to the understanding and prevention of abuse.
This Portal is designed to provide child welfare professionals, researchers, and the general public with a single point of access to Canadian child welfare research. The Portal includes a searchable data base of Canadian research publications, a data base of Canadian researchers, and information and statistics about provincial, territorial, aboriginal and national child welfare policies, legislation and programs.
Founded in 1980, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social, economic and environmental justice.
The Coalition for Equal Access to Education promotes knowledge and dialogue about issues affecting K-12 ESL learners. The Coalition researches and shares information with government, education and community stakeholders via publications, presentations, workshops, public fora and media.
The Alberta Gambling Research Institute is a consortium of the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and the University of Lethbridge. Its primary purpose is to support and promote research into gambling in the province. The Institute aims to achieve international recognition in gambling-related research.
The Canada West Foundation is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit public policy research institute dedicated to introducing western perspectives into current Canadian policy debates through: the production and dissemination of objective research to serve as a catalyst for informed public debate; and initiatives for active citizen education and engagement in the Canadian public policy process.
Prepared by Professor Michael Jackson, QC and Graham Stewart, former Executive Director of the John Howard Society of Canada, this report is a critical review of the policy paper on the Correctional Service of Canada released publicly in December 2007. (PDF – 236 pages, 2009)
RESOLVE Alberta is part of RESOLVE, which is a tri-prairie research network that co-ordinates and supports research aimed at ending violence, especially violence involving girls and women. The goal of RESOLVE is to reduce the incidence and impact of violence and abuse by: creating and evaluating strategies to address violence and abuse; communicating research results to the public and policy makers; promoting education, awareness, and social change.
The research for this White Paper, prepared for the Association of Canadian Court Administrators, has revealed an important service gap that exists in the Canadian justice system in terms of what self-represented litigants (SRLs) need and what is currently being provided. While the entire justice system has a role to play in understanding and addressing this question, the primary focus of this White Paper is on courts and court administrators (and related services) and their specific approach to SRLs and their legal needs. The report makes eight recommendations.
The Tax Court of Canada is the youngest superior court in Canada. The Court’s jurisdiction includes the hearing of appeals from assessments under the Income Tax Act, the Excise Tax Act (Goods and Services Tax “GST”), the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Pension Plan, among others. The website gives access to the court judgments as well as providing information for people who plan to represent themselves at the court.
The Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice is a voluntary, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of justice for all Canadians. Since its inception in 1974, the CIAJ has kept a critical eye on our justice system and explored cutting-edge issues likely to improve the administration of justice and preserve a strong and independent judiciary.
This qualitative study was led by Dr. Julie Macfarlane of the University of Windsor. The goal was to develop data on the experience of self-represented litigants in three Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. The study data illustrates a range of negative consequences experienced by SRL’s as a result of representing themselves. Preliminary Recommendations based on these findings are included at the end of this Report. This 147 page PDF is available for free download.
The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) works to promote, protect and develop those human rights which serve as the foundation for or underpin democracy, including the rights to freedom of expression, to vote and participate in governance, to access information and to freedom of assembly and association. Their website provides access to reports, publications and papers relating to democracy rights. It also contains analyses of draft laws from various jurisdictions and outlines details of various projects in which the CLD is involved.
The Center for Civil Society Studies of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies seeks to encourage the development and effective operation of nonprofit, philanthropic, or “civil society” organizations. The Center carries out its work through a combination of research, training, and information-sharing both in the United States and throughout the world.
The Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School works with judges, legal professionals, governmental and non-governmental organizations to improve access to justice in an effort to eliminate violence against women and girls.
The Vanier Institute of the Family seeks to create awareness of, and to provide leadership on, the importance and strengths of families in Canada and the challenges they face in all of their structural, demographic, economic, cultural and social diversity. To this end, the Institute develops and implements on an annual basis, a program of activities that establishes and maintains a foundation of accurate and current knowledge on family trends and issues as well as public policy and program analysis. The Research Program is a core component of these activities.
The David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights is a centre within the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law devoted to advocacy, research and education in the areas of constitutional rights in Canada. The Centre aims to play a vital role in articulating Canada’s constitutional vision to the broader world. The cornerstone of the Centre is a legal clinic that brings together students, faculty and members of the bar to work on significant constitutional cases and advocacy initiatives
The FREDA Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children is a joint collaboration between academics at Simon Fraser University and community and women’s organizations working at the grass-roots level. The FREDA Centre is committed to participatory action research, focused specifically on violence against women and children, and works in the interests of the community to end this violence.
The Centre for Constitutional Studies was established in the fall of 1987 as a result of the collaborative efforts of the Departments of History and Political Science and the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta. The Centre was founded to encourage and facilitate the interdisciplinary study of constitutional matters both nationally and internationally. The Centre’s research activities are complemented by an education programme consisting of public lectures, conferences and publications. The Centre also serves as a clearing house for information and materials relevant to constitutional studies.
Founded in 1978, the Canadian Study of Parliament Group (CSPG) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that brings together parliamentary experts, academics, and public servants with an interest in the role, function and reform of parliamentary institutions. The CSPG organizes and undertakes various events and research publications that foster discussion and enhance knowledge of parliamentary government.
The Canadian Forum on Civil Justice is a non-profit, independent organization dedicated to bringing together the public, the courts, the legal profession and government in order to promote a civil justice system that is accessible, effective, fair and efficient.
CCSD is a not-for-profit organization that partners and collaborates with all sectors (not-for-profit, philanthropic, government and business) and communities to advance solutions to today’s toughest social challenges. They are neutral, non-partisan, non-governmental and independent. Their mission is: Nation building through evidence, collaboration and design.The Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD) is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization, which was founded in 1920. The CCSD mission is to develop and promote progressive social policies inspired by social justice, equality and the empowerment of individuals and communities. They do this through research, consultation, public education and advocacy.
The Audiovisual Library is a unique, multimedia resource that consists of three sections: a Historic Archives, a Lecture Series, and a Research Library.
The World Legal Information Institute (WorldLII) is a free, independent and non-profit global legal research facility developed collaboratively by Legal Information Institutes and other organisations. WorldLII comprises three main facilities: Databases, Catalog and Websearch. The Databases include case-law, legislation, treaties, law reform reports, law journals, and other materials (1165 databases from 123 jurisdictions via 14 Legal Information Institutes). The WorldLII Catalog provides links to over 15,000 law-related web sites in every country in the world. Websearch makes searchable the full text of as many of these sites as WorldLII’s web-spider can reach.
This online resource from Imagine Canada, provides recommended resource lists and a searchable database to the John Hodgson Library collection, the most comprehensive collection of Canadian research and practical resources in the following areas: Governance & Accountability, Philanthropy & Fundraising, Organizational Management, Human Resources and Volunteerism.
This Library is housed in the offices of the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) in Toronto. The website contains the catalogue of the collection database, including numerous topical research files. The collection reflects the multidisciplinary nature of many environmental issues with a focus on environmental law and policy and includes access to the publications of the former Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy.
The Canadian Library Search provides a centralized window to Canadian libraries of all types and sizes. Through this site you can find information on and link to:
The Library of the Supreme Court of Canada provides the research base for the Court in its role of deciding questions of national importance. It is a research library geared to meet the immediate information needs of the Court. The Library has an extensive collection of both primary and secondary materials from the major common and civil law jurisdictions: Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, New Zealand, France and Belgium; a large collection of legal periodicals, loose-leaf services and major legal texts.
The Homeless Hub is a web-based research library and information center where community services providers, researchers, government representatives, and the general public can access and share research, stories, and best practices associated with alleviating homelessness and housing instability.
The Environmental Law Centre (Alberta) Society (“ELC”) is a registered charitable organization incorporated in Alberta in 1982 to provide Albertans with an objective source of information about environmental and natural resources law. The ELC website includes fact sheets, downloadable publications and a frequently asked questions section. The ELC library is accessible to the public; the catalogue can be accessed on their website. As well, any person can contact the ELC and receive information on environmental law.
Part of the Alberta Court Services is access to the Alberta Law Libraries. The primary mission of Alberta Law Libraries is to facilitate access to legal information for the Alberta community, including its judiciary, lawyers, citizens, libraries and government agencies. Alberta Law Libraries (ALL) were formed in 2009 when Alberta Court Libraries and Alberta Law Society Libraries were amalgamated. ALL has served the legal community in Alberta since 1885 and use of our collections is free to all who visit our libraries.
Now that the highly anticipated new copyright legislation has been introduced, more and more librarians are hearing from concerned library users that copyright laws must reflect the public interest. As the voice of the community of library users and professionals, CLA is committed to getting the crucial message to government that copyright issues do indeed strike a chord with Canadians.
The Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre is a Canadian non-governmental, non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Calgary which undertakes research on contemporary civil liberties and human rights issues that are of concern to Albertans. The projects are diverse – from proposals for reform of human rights legislation, to a report on citizen complaints about police conduct, to a manual for lawyers who represent mentally disabled clients. Staff and volunteers make presentations on a wide range of civil liberties and human rights topics.
BearPaw Legal Education & Resource Centre (BLERC) provides free workshops on request. A workshop facilitator will travel to your community. Topics include: Going to Court, Kids and the Law, Aboriginal Fishing and Hunting Rights, the ABCs of the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act and more.
unThis page from the Labour Program of Employment and Social Development Canada outlines the laws that govern federally regulated workplaces.
This consolidation contains the text of the Constitution Act, 1867 (formerly the British North America Act, 1867), together with amendments made to it since its enactment, and the text of the Constitution Act, 1982, as amended since its enactment. The Constitution Act, 1982 contains the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and other provisions, including the procedure for amending the Constitution of Canada.
The Canada Gazette is the official newspaper of the Government of Canada and has been published regularly by the Queen’s Printer since 1841. Published within the Canada Gazette are new statutes and regulations, proposed regulations, decisions of administrative boards and an assortment of government notices.
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) administers many pieces of legislation, either in whole or in part. AANDC also develops and enforces regulations under authority delegated by the legislation that directly impacts First Nations, Inuit, Metis and Northerners.
This website provides free public access to current side-by-side bilingual versions of Yukon legislation (Acts and Regulations). Please note that although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, the legal materials on this site have been prepared for convenience of reference only and are not the official versions.
CanLii’s searchable database of Statutes and Regulations in [province]. Legislation can be searched by name, version, keywords or scopes.
CanLii’s searchable database of Statutes and Regulations in Prince Edward Island. Legislation can be searched by name, version, keywords or scopes.
The Ministry of the Attorney General’s e-laws website provides information on all Ontario Statutes and Regulations.
CanLii has put together these databases based on materials available on the Statutes website of the Nova Scotia Office of the Legislative Counsel and on the Registry of Regulations Regulations website. They can be searched by keyword, title or scope.
CanLii’s searchable database of Statutes and Regulations in [province]. Legislation can be searched by name, version, keywords or scopes.
A searchable database of statutes and regulations provided by the House of Assembly in Newfoundland and Labrador.
CanLii’s searchable database of Statutes and Regulations in New Brunswick. Legislation can be searched by name, version, keywords or scopes.
This is the official site for New Brunswick Acts and Regulations. New Brunswick Acts and Regulations are officially published on-line under the authority of the Queen’s Printer Act.
The King’s Printer is the official source of Government of Manitoba laws and publications since 1870.
The Manitoba King’s Printer – Statutory Publications is the central distribution centre for acts, regulations, and other legislative material, the Manitoba Gazette, and the CCSM (Continuing Consolidation of the Statutes of Manitoba).
On this website provided by the Government of Manitoba the online versions of the laws of Manitoba can be viewed free of charge. The opening page describes the types of laws that can be accessed from the various menus and describes how these laws come into force.
BC Laws provides this alphabetical listing of Statutes and Regulations for the province of British Columbia.
This online source of the consolidated Acts and regulations of Canada is provided by the Department of Justice Canada. The consolidations are generally updated on a weekly basis.
The Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) is a not-for-profit organization initiated by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada. CanLII’s goal is to make primary sources of Canadian law accessible for free on the Internet. CanLII seeks to gather legislative and judicial texts, as well as legal commentaries, from federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions on a single Web site.
This federal government website details a legislative plan to strengthen accountability in government through democratic reform.
The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) was established at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law in the fall of 2003. Through student-centered research and advocacy, the clinic represents consumer and other public interests in such areas as intellectual property, consumer protection in e-commerce, domain name governance, personal information protection and privacy.
The British Columbia Law Institute was created in January 1997 by incorporation under the Provincial Society Act. The broad purposes of the Institute, described in Article 2 of its Constitution, are to: promote the clarification and simplification of the law and its adaptation to modern social needs, promote improvement of the administration of justice and respect for the rule of law, and promote and carry out scholarly legal research. The website of the British Columbia Law Institute provides access to an invaluable database of law reform materials from common law jurisdictions around the world.
This webpage from the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) contains a listing of links to federal boards and tribunals in Canada (scroll halfway down the page). For a list of provincial and territorial boards and tribunals, click on the province/territory in the list on the left hand menu bar and then scroll down to the Boards and Tribunals list.
The Portage College Public Legal Education Program is a public service initiative offered in partnership with the Alberta Law Foundation. The program offers learning opportunities to individuals, families, and communities throughout North Eastern Alberta through the provision of information, resources, and education on a variety of legal topics. All requests for information are confidential. The program also offers legal education presentations and seminars throughout North Eastern Alberta in communities, agencies, and schools. For program updates and workshops see: https://mailchi.mp/db001ef43930/portage-college-public-legal-education-newsletter-2543565
The Alberta Human Rights Commission offers free, online resources available for anyone wanting to learn more about human rights and responsibilities. They also offer workshops and via the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies (CASHRA) online courses are available for anyone wanting to learn more about human rights and responsibilities.
Every Living Thing is the Alberta SPCA’s humane education website for teachers who aim to inspire compassion for animals, people and the environment – every living thing! The Alberta SPCA believes people have a duty to accept responsibility for the welfare of animals. The SPCA hopes to nurture a humane attitude toward animals through a humane education program.
