Statutes in force ?

Simon Chester's SLAW post about the Statute of Westminster being in force (or not according to the Globe and Mail prompts me to remind Field researchers about discovering in force dates of statutes.

Steps to identify the in force date for a particular Alberta law:

1. Check the Coming into Force provision in the act (usually the last section). The act itself may come into force on a named date.


2. If the act is silent, the in force date is on Royal Assent, check the Royal Assent date by looking in the Alberta Parliamentary Digest or on the Alberta Legislative Assembly website.


3. If the coming into force section refers to proclamation, check the white pages at the beginning of the last volume of the looseleaf Statutes of Alberta - there is a table with dates for Public Acts Brought Into Force By Proclamation. This will give you page references to the official proclamation which is published in the Alberta Gazette Part I.

In Alberta the CIF (coming into force) choices for statutes are on assent, on a named date, or on proclamation. Remember that our Table of Public Statutes (AKA pink pages) will give you in force dates as well.

See Fieldnet - Library for checklists and details about legislative research.

Cheers, Shaunna