Interpretation Act Amendment

Summary#

The Canada Gazette, Part I (House of Commons section) records that Bill S-13, titled “An Act to amend the Interpretation Act and to make related amendments to other Acts,” received royal assent by written declaration on November 27, 2024 and is listed as Chapter 30, 2024. The notice also records that both Houses were informed of the written declaration on November 27, 2024.

What it does#

• Records that Bill S-13 received royal assent by written declaration on November 27, 2024 and is now Chapter 30, 2024.
• Says the bill’s purpose is to amend the Interpretation Act and make related changes to other federal acts. The Gazette entry does not describe the specific wording of those changes.
• Notes the assent was signified under the Royal Assent Act and that both the Senate and the House of Commons were notified on November 27, 2024.
• Repeats a routine reference to Standing Order 130 and a contact for the Private Members’ Business Office (a routine notice about private bills).

Who's affected#

• The most directly relevant law is the Interpretation Act, so lawyers, courts, and government officials who use that Act to read and apply federal laws are likely to notice the change.
• Federal departments and agencies may need to adjust how they interpret or implement statutes.
• Businesses, organizations, and members of the public could be affected indirectly if the way federal laws are read or applied changes.
• The Gazette entry itself does not list which specific groups, statutes, or programs will be changed; that requires looking at the full text of the amendments.

Why it matters#

• The Interpretation Act sets basic rules for how federal laws are read and understood. Changing it can affect many other laws without changing each one individually.
• Even small technical changes to interpretation rules can change who has rights or obligations, how deadlines are calculated, or how gendered language is handled across federal statutes.
• Because the Gazette notice does not include the amendment text, anyone who may be affected should check the full Act (Chapter 30, 2024) or government summaries to see the exact changes and their practical effects.