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Legal Research Manual

This edition of Legal Research Manual builds on many previous editions. While the manual is designed principally for use with the first year legal research classes, upper year law students will also find it a useful reference.

Finding Ontario Regulations (Print Sources)

Ontario regulations are governed by the Legislation Act, 2006, SO 2006, c 21, Schedule F. This act defines what constitutes a regulation and stipulates that there must be statutory authorization for every regulation in the form of an enabling statute.

Example

Locate the Ontario Continuing Education Regulation issued under the Education Act.

  1. Consult the Table of Regulations for a Citation (Official Method)
    • The "Table of Regulations" is a cumulative listing of regulations and amendments found at the end of each annual volume of the Statutes of Ontario.
    • The Statutes of Ontario are the red books shelved in the stacks on the main floor towards the back of the library. These are arranged by year and volume number. Consult the most recent volume available.
    • The "Table of Regulations" alphabetically lists the titles of enabling legislation.
    • Under each statute is a list of regulations made under that act complete with citations and amendments.
  2. Locate the Regulation
    • The citation tells us that the Continuing Education Regulation is found in the Revised Regulations of Ontario 1990 under Regulation 285.
    • The Revised Regulations of Ontario are blue volumes shelved in the Reference Section or in the main floor stacks towards the back of the library.
    • The range of regulation numbers is indicated on the spine of each volume.
    • Locate Regulation 285 which is found in volume 3.
  3. Update Through the Ontario Regulations Service
    • The Ontario Regulations Service can be used in lieu of the Table of Regulations to locate a citation. As well, this service contains very recent information as it is current to within the last month.
    • This tool reprints the regulations portion of the Ontario Gazette so that one can look up a cited amendment or regulation directly in that volume without having to find an actual copy of the Gazette itself.
    • The Ontario Regulations Service is comprised of several volumes and these are the blue binders shelved in Reference area.
    • The green section found at the front of each volume is an annual consolidated index which lists all regulations in force until the end of that calendar year. Update any regulations under the Education Act by consulting the list under Education Act in the green pages of the Regulations volume for the latest year. (Note that enabling statutes are arranged alphabetically)
    • The yellow section found in the most recent volume is an index of recent amendments and regulations which is current to within the last month. To update regulations under the Education Act, search alphabetically under the title of the enabling statute.
  4. Final Update: Check The Most Recent Issues of The Ontario Gazette
    • In order to be absolutely current, you must update from the latest cutoff point in your information by searching through recent issues of the Ontario Gazette.
    • Please note that as the Gazette is no longer published in print, you will need to go to the online version (2000-).
    • These are weekly issues which contain a list of publications under the Regulations Act
    • To update, refer to the index at the back of each issue and search for regulations by enabling statute title.
    • If you need to check older print issues of the Gazette, issues are shelved with the Ontario legislative materials.