Need to see what a BC statute or regulation used to look like? QP LegalEze includes consolidations of BC legislation back to 1991, and regulations back to 2003. 

CanLII has current BC legislation, but the point-in-time only goes back to 2009. Meanwhile, QuickLaw/LexisNexis includes repealed BC statutes since 1997, and point-in-time from 2000 onward. 

QP LegalEze is an electronic product available to use, free of charge, at most BC Courthouse Libraries. Only the bound print versions of the statutes (check availability) are official.

 

 

Finding a Consolidation

  Click the QP LegalEze icon to open the program.

  

 Click the Agree button (bottom centre of page). 

 

Scroll down and click the date you want.  For example, I’d like to see what the Bee Act said in March 2003 about beekeepers entering property, so I’ll click the last consolidation date before that.

 

 

Click the + sign next to the consolidation number (top left of page):

 

 

It'll open a list of statutes, organized alphabetically.  Click the + sign for the suitable letter of the alphabet, then the act's title.  The act should open.

Tip: If clicking the title won't open the act, that means there's other content, like a table of changes. In that case, click the plus sign next to the title, and then choose the material that you want to view.

 

 

Searching within a Consolidation

Click the Search tab at the top of the page:

 

 

Choose the act(s) you want to search by checking the box to the left of its title. Enter search terms and click Search.

Tip: Select the Advanced search tab so QP LegalEze finds different forms of your search words (e.g. enters and entering in addition to enter). You can also select "Find synonyms."

 

 

My search terms are highlighted in blue in the results.

 

 

Clicking a blue highlighted term will show it within the context of the act. Note that my search terms enter and property are still highlighted. 

 

 

Updating

The consolidation is for February 13, 2003, but my bees escaped in March 2003.  To check for changes, I turn to the Table of Legislative Changes at the end of a 2004 volume of the Statutes of British Columbia. It doesn't show any in-force changes between the date of the QP LegalEze consolidation and my date of interest. 

 

 

Printing Tips

Use the Print Preview button on the top right instead of the browser's printer option.

If you'd like to print a page showing the consolidation date and that information isn't on the act itself, click the consolidation number. 

 

 

This should produce a page with the consolidation date (only works for 1997-Feb 2006 consolidations).

 

 

If you'd like help updating a BC statute in the print version, please call or visit the Vancouver Courthouse Library.  

Haven’t researched federal legislation for a while?  It may be easier than you remember, particularly if you use some electronic resources that are now available for free online. 

For Canadian statutes, you can find fairly current versions, and older versions back to 2003, through CanLII and the Department of Justice.  CanLII even has a neat feature displaying side-by side comparisons of two versions of the same act.

 

Comparing Versions in CanLII
Search the title of an act through CanLII.  Click the link under the act’s title (for a really long act, like the Criminal Code, it may take a few moments to load):

 

This shows you the most current version.  Note the “last updated” statement.
Click the box to the left of the two versions you want to see, and click compare. 

 

Scroll down to the section you want.  The top of each column shows the dates for that version.  Since there was no Section 27.1 of the Criminal Code in 2003, only a red line is visible.  In the recent version, the newer section is highlighted in green with historical information underneath.  

 

 

Department of Justice
Federal legislation back to 2003 is also available on the Department of Justice website.  Click Advanced - Point-in-Time (vertical bar along the left of your screen).

 

Search for a statute by title or chapter number, and select a date that you’d like to see. Click Search. 

 

Click the title to see your statute:

 

The paid subscription service LexisNexis/Quicklaw has a similar feature, which includes point-in-time legislation back to 1999 for most federal acts, and 1988 for criminal statutes.  

For older print materials, phone or visit the Vancouver Courthouse Library or a regional Courthouse Library (check availability).

Courthouse libraries are open as usual for the duration of the Olympic games.  Some of our staff at the Vancouver Courthouse Library have made adjustments to our hours to deal with transportation challenges during the Olympics but impact on our services will be minimal.  Festivities at Robson Square adjacent to the courthouse are already in full swing - and when the zip line opens people will be lining up on the bridge over Smithe St between the court buildings.

Hours for the Vancouver Courthouse Library:
From February 12 to February 28 the library is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.  Phone and email service are available as usual during these hours. 

Photocopy and books orders:
Please expect delays if sending or receiving library materials by post as mail service to the courthouse will be operating on a reduced schedule.  This applies to all BC courthouses during the Olympics, not just Vancouver. 
 

To the best of our knowledge there will be no changes to after hours access to the Vancouver Courthouse Library for members of the legal community and no changes to access to the underground parking lot.  The Nelson Street entrance to the courthouse and the Great Hall will be closed throughout the games - please use the Smithe Street entrance. 

We'll be in close contact with building security during the Olympics and will let you know if any additional access restrictions to the library are introduced.