An independent Canadian knowledge projectPilot collection · EN / FR
CA-K024Institutions

How a federal bill becomes law

The Senate’s temporary chamber in the Senate of Canada Building, photographed in 2019; not a photograph of a particular bill’s passage.
The Senate’s temporary chamber in the Senate of Canada Building, photographed in 2019; not a photograph of a particular bill’s passage. Senate of Canada temporary chamber, 2019 · Kelvin Chan · Photo source · Photo licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for display; item previews may be cropped. The image remains under the licence shown.
Factual accuracy review: No recorded challenge

No recorded challenge is not proof of accuracy. A challenge under review is not a finding that the item is false.

A federal bill must be adopted in identical form by the House of Commons and the Senate and receive royal assent to become law. Its provisions may come into force at a later date.

Scope & context

Royal assent and coming into force are distinct steps.

Sources behind this record

1
How new laws and regulations are created ↗

Department of Justice Canada

Both Chambers, royal assent and coming into force