View the complete PDF table of limitation periods – current to December 19, 2023
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New or amended limitation periods passed during the Fall 2023 session of the Legislative Assembly
C.4 Bill 322
Opioid Damages and Health-care Costs Recovery Act (amended)
7 (1A) No action or proceeding that is commenced by the Government of Canada before, or within 15 years after, the coming into force of this Section in relation to the recovery of the cost of health-care benefits, or for damages, alleged to have been caused or contributed to by an opioid-related wrong, is barred under the Limitation of Actions Act or by a limitation period under any other Act.
During the Spring 2023 session
None
During the Fall 2022 session
None
During the Spring 2022 session
None
During the Fall 2021 session
None
During the Spring 2020 session
C.1 Bill 23
Adoption Records Act
44 A prosecution for an offence under Section 43 may not be commenced more than two years after the date the offence was committed.
C.3 Bill 4
Biodiversity Act (commencement October 1, 2021)
44 (2) No private prosecution of Her Majesty in right of the Province for an offence under this Act may be commenced without the consent of the Attorney General.
and
51 (1) Proceedings by way of summary conviction with respect to an offence under this Act may not be commenced more than two years after the later of
(a) the date on which the offence was committed; and
(b) the date on which evidence of the offence first came to the attention of the Minister.
C.15 Bill 95
Parenting and Support Act
58 A proceeding commenced under this Act before the effective date, and that is not finally disposed of before that date must be dealt with and disposed of in accordance with this Act as it reads as of that date.
During the Fall 2020 session
None
During the Spring 2020 session
C.4 Bill 246
Opioid Damages and Health-care Costs Recovery Act
7 (1) No action or proceeding that is commenced by the Crown or on behalf of a class or proposed class of which the Crown is a member or prospective member before, or within 15 years after, the coming into force of this Section in relation to the recovery of the cost of healthcare benefits, or for damages, alleged to have been caused or contributed to by an opioid-related wrong, is barred under the Limitation of Actions Act or by a limitation period under any other Act.
7 (2) Any action or proceeding described in subsection (1) in relation to damages alleged to have been caused or contributed to by an opioid-related wrong is revived if the action or proceeding was dismissed before the coming into force of this Section merely because it was held by a court to be barred or extinguished by the Limitation of Actions Act or by a limitation period under any other Act. 2020, c. 4, s. 7; 2023, c. 21, s. 7.
During the Fall 2019 session
None
During the Spring 2019 session
None
During the Fall 2018 session
C.21 Bill 27
Animal Protection Act
43 The prosecution of an offence contrary to this Act or the regulations may not be commenced more than two years after the date on which the act or omission that is alleged to constitute the offence occurred.
C.62 Bill 39
Cemetery and Funeral Services Act
30 A prosecution for an offence under this Act may not be commenced more than three years after the later of
(a) the date on which the offence was committed; and
(b) the date on which the evidence of the offence first came to the attention of the Registrar.
C.77 Bill 48
Collection Agencies Act
27 A prosecution for an offence under this Act or the regulations may not be commenced more than three years after the later of
(a) the date on which the offence was committed; and
(b) the date on which evidence of the offence first came to the attention of the Registrar.
C.91 Bill 48
Consumer Creditors’ Conduct Act
5 (3) A prosecution under this Section may be commenced within three years after the date on which the offence is committed.
C.92 Bill 48
Consumer Protection Act
30 A prosecution for an offence under this Act or the regulations may not be commenced more than three years after the later of
(a) the date on which the offence was committed; and
(b) the date on which evidence of the offence first came to the attention of the Registrar.
C.93 Bill 48
Consumer Reporting Act
23A A prosecution for an offence under this Act or the regulations may not be commenced more than three years after the later of
(a) the date on which the offence was committed; and
(b) the date on which evidence of the offence first came to the attention of the Registrar.
C.129 Bill 48
Direct Sellers’ Regulation Act
38 A prosecution for an offence under this Act or the regulations may not be commenced more than three years after the later of
(a) the date on which the offence was committed; and
(b) the date on which evidence of the offence first came to the attention of the Registrar.
C.144 Bill 39
Embalmers and Funeral Directors Act
34A A prosecution for an offence under this Act may not be commenced more than three years after the later of
(a) the date on which the offence was committed; and
(b) the date on which the evidence of the offence first came to the attention of the Registrar.
C.11 Bill 48
Mortgage Regulation Act
72 (1) A prosecution for a contravention of this Act must not be commenced more than two years after the date on which the alleged contravention occurred.
During the Spring 2018 session
None
During the Fall 2017 session
None
During the Spring 2017 session
None
During the Fall 2016 session
None
During the Spring 2016 session
None
During the Fall 2015 session
C.418 Bill 129
Securities Act (amended)
146N (1) A limitation period established by subsection (1) in respect of an action is suspended on the date a notice of motion for leave under Section 146H is filed with the court and resumes running on the date
(a) the court grants leave or dismisses the motion and
(i) all appeals have been exhausted, or
(ii) the time for filing an appeal has expired without an appeal being filed; or
(b) the motion is abandoned or discontinued.
During the Spring 2015 session
C.25 Bill 95
Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act
50 (2) Where no appeal is commenced within thirty days after the decision is issued, the Review Board shall forthwith provide the Minister with a copy of its decision for implementation pursuant to Section 52.
C.25 Bill 101
Private Career Colleges Regulation Act
29 Where security in the form of a bond has been cancelled or an operator’s registration has been terminated and the bond has not been forfeited, the Manager may, 1 year following the termination of the registration to which the bond relates or 1 year after the cancellation of the bond, as the case may be, deliver the bond to the person bound by it.
(2) A prosecution for an offence pursuant to this Act may not be commenced more than two years after the date of the alleged offence.
During the Fall 2014 session
See above PDF chart entries for: Builders’ Lien Act and Limitation of Actions Act
During the Spring 2014 session
None
During the Fall 2013 session
None
During the Spring 2013 session
C. 5 Bill 57
Language School Act
A prosecution for an offence pursuant to this Act may not be commenced more than two years from the date of the alleged offence.
During the Fall 2012 session
None
During the Spring 2012 session
C. 11 Bill 22
Mortgage Regulation Act (This Bill replaces the 1966 Mortgage Brokers’ and Lenders’ Registration Act)
A prosecution for a contravention of this Act must not be commenced more than two years after the date on which the alleged contravention occurred.
C. 418 Bill 32
Securities Act
No action respecting a rescission shall be commenced under this Section after the expiration of a period of ninety days from the date of mailing or delivering the notice pursuant to subsection (1) or (2).
During the Fall 2011 session
C. 36 Bill 98
Fish Harvester Organizations Support Act
No proceeding for an offence under the Act can be commenced more than two years after the later of the date on which the offence was committed or the date on which evidence of the offence first came to the Minister’s attention.
C. 44 Bill 109
Safe Body Art Act
A prosecution under the Act cannot be commenced more than two years after the later of the date on which the offence was committed or the date on which evidence of the offence first came to the attention of the appropriate official.
During the Spring 2011 session
C. 5 Bill 59
An Act Respecting the Election of Members of the House of Assembly
The limitation period for commencing a prosecution under the Act is increased from nine months to one year, but in any case, not more than five years after the date on which the offence was committed.
During the Fall 2010 session
C. 35 Bill 99
An Act to Avoid Conflict of Interest by Members of the House of Assembly, Members of the Executive Council and Public Employees
The prosecution of a former Minister, ministerial assistant, member or public employee who has violated s. 23 of the Act (post-service restrictions on accepting a contract or benefit, making representations to a government decision-maker with respect to a contract or benefit or accepting a contract or benefit from any person to make a representation to a government decision-maker with respect to a contract or benefit) cannot be commenced more than two years after the contract or benefit has been discharged or terminated or, in any other case, two years after the commission of the contravention.
C. 45 Bill 110*
An Act to Amend Chapter 33 of the Acts of 2008, the Animal Protection Act
A prosecution for an offence under the Act must be commenced within two years of the date on which the act or omission is alleged to have occurred.
During the Spring 2010 session
C. 4 Bill 53
An Act Respecting the Fur Industry
There is a two-year limitation period for commencing a prosecution under the Act.
C. 6 Bill 61
An Act to Prohibit the Sale and Use of Non-essential Pesticides
There is a two-year limitation period in which to commence a prosecution for an offence under the Act, with time beginning to run from the later of when the offence was committed or the date on which evidence of the offence first came to the attention of an inspector or the Minister.
C. 9 Bill 22
An Act Respecting the Provision of Security Services and Investigative Services
No proceeding respecting an offence under the Act may be commenced more than one year after the Registrar first becomes aware of the facts on which the proceeding is based.
C. 16 Bill 67
An Act to Amend Chapter 39 of the Acts of 2008, the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter
The limitation period for the prosecution of an offence under a land-use by law or a development agreement is two years from the date of the commission of the alleged offence.