In 1869, An Act Respecting the Office of Queen's Printer and the Public Printing, S.C. 1869, c. 7, described the content of the Gazette as including all proclamations and all official notices, advertisements and documents requiring publication. Contents varied in the early issues but could include notices, proclamations, statutes, regulations and selected treaties.
In 1947, the Canada Gazette split into two parts.
Any individual order or regulation that required publication was published in the Gazette, but it was not until the 1950 Regulations Act, S.C. 1950, c. 50, that ALL regulations (except those specifically exempted) were required to be registered by the Clerk of the Privy Council and published within 30 days in the Gazette. Registered regulations are now published in Part II.
Online access
Library and Archives Canada's database makes the full text of the following years available online:
- 1841-1869 (Province of Canada)
- 1867-1946 (Dominion of Canada)
- Canada Gazette Part I (1947-1997)
- Canada Gazette Part II (1947-1997)
- Canada Gazette Part III (1974-1997)
The Canada Gazette website provides a searchable database for the years 1998 to the present.
On microfilm
Old issues of the Gazette are on microfilm. The Library has three separate series:
1. 1841 (Vol.1) to 1869 (Vol.28) (KP19 C34)
2. 1867 (Vol 1) to 1892 (Vol.25) (KP19 C34) (Note: for two years, 1867 to 1869, two concurrent series of Canada Gazettes were published.)
3. 1892 (Vol 26) to 1969 (Vol.103) (KP19 C35) (In 1947, the Canada Gazette split into two parts. Both parts are included on the microfilm. Part II usually follows Part I on the reel. Both parts have their own indexes for each volume. Indexes for Part I (only) are also in the collection in hard copy.
Note: The order of contents can be jumbled and quite a few issues are missing. Consult the guide located with the microfilm (on top of the cabinet).
In print
In print, the Library has:
- Canada Gazette, Part I (KP19) - from 1970 (Vol. 104) to the present. Volumes 104 to 120 are in storage. Indexes from Vol.112 to the present are bound separately and are on the shelf. Indexes from Vols. 104 - 111 are bound in with the Gazettes in storage.
- Canada Gazette, Part II (KP16.5 C353) - from 1947 (Vol.81) to the present. There are consolidated indexes for every year from 1955; starting in 1978 they are bound separately.
- Statutory Orders and Regulations - 1955 consolidation (KP16.5 C351 1955) and 1949 consolidation (KP16.5 C351 1949)
We also have five separately published series of orders and regulations:
- Orders in Council, Proclamations, Departmental Regulations, Etc. (KP16.C3 1874a) - 1849 to 1874; on shelf
- The Consolidated Orders in Council of Canada (KP16.C3 1889) - consolidation of OICs up to 1889; on shelf
- Proclamations and Orders in Council Passed under the Authority of the War Measures Act (KP 16.5 C29) - 1940 to 1942; in storage
- Note: We are missing Volume 1 (August-December 1939). The title changed to Proclamations and Orders in Council Relating to War starting with Volume 4.
- Canadian War Orders and Regulations (KP16.5 C3) - 1942 to 1945 (Vol.3); in storage
- Continuation of Proclamations and Orders in Council Relating to War. Statutory Orders and Regulations (KP16.5 C35) - 1945 (Vol.4) to 1946; in storage
Continuation of Canadian War Orders and Regulations. Originally contained only war related orders and regulations but expanded to include various types of delegated legislation.