The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
Certified correct as passed Third Reading on the 10th day of April, 2018
Craig James, Clerk of the House
HONOURABLE DAVID R. P. EBY
ATTORNEY GENERAL
HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:
Part 1 – Attorney General Amendments
Crown Proceeding Act
1 Section 15 of the Crown Proceeding Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 89, is repealed and the following substituted:
15 The Attorney General must prepare in each fiscal year a report respecting the money paid out in the preceding fiscal year under sections 13 (4) and 14 (4) and lay the report before the Legislative Assembly as soon as practicable.
Interpretation Act
2 Section 20 of the Interpretation Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 238, is repealed and the following substituted:
20 (1) In this section, "appointing instrument" means an enactment that appoints a person to an office.
(2) An authority under an enactment to appoint a public officer is authority to appoint during pleasure.
(3) An appointment made by an appointing instrument begins at the beginning of the day the appointment is effective.
(4) Unless earlier terminated by the appointee, an appointment made by an appointing instrument ends,
(a) if the day the appointment terminates is specified in the appointing instrument, at the beginning of the day specified,
(b) if the day the appointment terminates is not specified in the appointing instrument, at the end of the last day of the term of the appointment, unless paragraph (c), (d) or (e) applies,
(c) if the appointment is terminated by an enactment that specifies the day the termination is effective, at the beginning of the day specified,
(d) if the appointment is terminated by an enactment that does not specify the day the termination is effective, at the beginning of the day on which the enactment is made, and
(e) if the appointment is terminated and another person is appointed to the same office by the same enactment, when the new appointment begins.
(5) Section 4 [time of commencement or repeal] does not apply to an appointing instrument or an enactment referred to in subsection (4) (c), (d) or (e).
3 Section 25 is repealed and the following substituted:
25 (1) In sections 25.2 to 25.4, "reference day" means any of the following by reference to which the beginning or end of a period of time must be determined:
(a) a specified or implied day;
(b) a day on which a specified or implied event or act occurs;
(c) a day on which a different period begins or ends.
(2) This section and sections 25.1 to 25.5 also apply to a deed, conveyance or other legal instrument unless specifically provided otherwise in the deed, conveyance or other legal instrument.
(3) A period for doing an act that is determined under section 25.2, 25.3 or 25.4 to begin or end on a holiday begins or ends, as the case may be,
(a) if the reference day is before the period, on the next day that is not a holiday, and
(b) if the reference day is after the period, on the previous day that is not a holiday.
(4) A period for doing an act in a business office that is determined under section 25.2, 25.3 or 25.4 to begin or end on a day on which the office is not open during regular business hours begins or ends, as the case may be, as follows:
(a) on the next day the office is open during its regular business hours, unless paragraph (b) applies;
(b) on the previous day the office is open during its regular business hours if
(i) the office is regularly closed on the day the period is determined under the applicable section to begin or end, and
(ii) the reference day is after the period.
25.1 A person reaches a particular age expressed in years at the beginning of the relevant anniversary of the person's birth date.
25.2 (1) In this section, "week" means a period of 7 consecutive days.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), the beginning or end of a period of one day or consecutive days or of one week or consecutive weeks, expressed in relation to a reference day, is to be determined as follows:
(a) if the reference day is before the period, by counting forward from and including the day after the reference day;
(b) if the reference day is after the period, by counting backward from and including the day before the reference day.
(3) If a period described in subsection (2) is expressed as "clear" days or weeks or "at least" or "not less than" a number of days or weeks,
(a) the beginning or end of the period, as determined under subsection (2) (a), is one day later, and
(b) the beginning or end of the period, as determined under subsection (2) (b), is one day earlier.
25.3 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the beginning or end of a period of one month or consecutive months, expressed in relation to a reference day, is to be determined as follows:
(a) if the reference day is before the period, by going forward to and including the date numerically corresponding to the reference day in the calendar month in which the period begins or ends, as the case may be;
(b) if the reference day is after the period, by going backward to and including the date numerically corresponding to the reference day in the calendar month in which the period begins or ends, as the case may be.
(2) If a period described in subsection (1) is expressed as "clear" months or "at least" or "not less than" a number of months,
(a) the beginning or end of the period, as determined under subsection (1) (a), is one day later, and
(b) the beginning or end of the period, as determined under subsection (1) (b), is one day earlier.
(3) If the beginning or end of a period determined under subsection (1) or subsections (1) and (2), as applicable, would fall on a date that does not occur in the calendar month in which the period begins or ends, the period begins or ends, as the case may be, on the last day of that month.
25.4 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the beginning or end of a period of one year or consecutive years, expressed in relation to a reference day, is to be determined as follows:
(a) if the reference day is before the period, by going forward to and including the date numerically corresponding to the reference day in the same calendar month as the reference day in the year in which the period begins or ends, as the case may be;
(b) if the reference day is after the period, by going backward to and including the date numerically corresponding to the reference day in the same calendar month as the reference day in the year in which the period begins or ends, as the case may be.
(2) If a period described in subsection (1) is expressed as "clear" years or "at least" or "not less than" a number of years,
(a) the beginning or end of the period, as determined under subsection (1) (a), is one day later, and
(b) the beginning or end of the period, as determined under subsection (1) (b), is one day earlier.
(3) If the beginning or end of a period determined under subsection (1) or subsections (1) and (2), as applicable, would be February 29 and February 29 does not occur in the year in which the period begins or ends, the period begins or ends, as the case may be, on February 28.
25.5 (1) If a day that is specified for doing an act falls on a holiday, the day falls on the next day that is not a holiday.
(2) If a day that is specified for doing an act in a business office falls on a day on which the office is not open during regular business hours, the day falls on the next day the office is open during its regular business hours.
4 Section 26 is repealed and the following substituted:
26 (1) In this section:
"Pacific Daylight Saving Time" means 7 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time;
"Pacific Standard Time" means 8 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time.
(2) Except during periods prescribed under subsection (3) (a), a reference to time in British Columbia is a reference to Pacific Standard Time.
(3) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations
(a) prescribing a period in each year in which a reference to time is, for general purposes in British Columbia, a reference to Pacific Daylight Saving Time, and
(b) varying the reckoning of Pacific Standard Time.
5 Section 32 is repealed and the following substituted:
32 (1) In this section:
"amended", in respect of a domestic enactment, includes
(a) the repeal and replacement of the domestic enactment with a domestic enactment in relation to the same subject matter, and
(b) the revision or consolidation of the domestic enactment;
"domestic enactment" means an Act or a regulation, or a portion of an Act or regulation, of British Columbia, Canada or another province of Canada;
"foreign enactment" means an Act or a regulation, or a portion of an Act or regulation, of a jurisdiction outside Canada.
(2) If a domestic enactment is amended, a reference in an unrepealed enactment of British Columbia to the domestic enactment is to be construed, for a subsequent transaction, matter or thing, as a reference to the amended domestic enactment.
(3) Subsection (2) applies whether the domestic enactment is amended before, at the same time as or after the coming into force of the enactment of British Columbia in which the reference to the domestic enactment appears.
(4) If a domestic enactment is repealed and not replaced with a domestic enactment in relation to the same subject matter, a reference in an unrepealed enactment of British Columbia to the domestic enactment is to be construed, for a subsequent transaction, matter or thing, as a reference to the repealed domestic enactment as it read immediately before its repeal.
(5) A reference in an enactment of British Columbia to a foreign enactment is to be construed as a reference to the foreign enactment as it read on the date the enactment of British Columbia containing the reference to that foreign enactment was enacted.
6 Section 36 is amended
(a) in subsection (1) by adding "and" at the end of paragraph (d), by striking out "and" at the end of paragraph (e) and by repealing paragraph (f), and
(b) by repealing subsection (2).
Ministry of Provincial Secretary and Government Services Act
7 Section 7 of the Ministry of Provincial Secretary and Government Services Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 309, is amended by striking out "and archives" after "certified extracts from the registers".
8 (1) Unless the parties otherwise agree, section 25 (3) of the Interpretation Act, as it read immediately before the date this section comes into force, applies in relation to the determination of the beginning or end of a period contained in a legal instrument, other than an enactment, that has unfulfilled obligations on the date this section comes into force.
(2) Section 25 (3) of the Interpretation Act, as it read immediately before the date this section comes into force, applies in relation to the determination of the beginning or end of a period under an enactment if
(a) the reference day in relation to the period occurs on or before the date this section comes into force, or
(b) the period begins or ends on or before the date this section comes into force.
Community Charter
9 Section 3 of the Schedule to the Community Charter, S.B.C. 2003, c. 26, is amended by striking out "section 25 (7) [calculation of time] of the Interpretation Act" and substituting "section 26 [Pacific Standard Time and Pacific Daylight Saving Time] of the Interpretation Act".
Election Act
10 Sections 56 (3) and 75 (3) of the Election Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 106, are amended by striking out "Pacific Standard time or Pacific Daylight time" and substituting "Pacific Standard Time or Pacific Daylight Saving Time".
Local Government Act
11 Section 48 of the Local Government Act, R.S.B.C. 2015, c. 1, is repealed and the following substituted:
48 Sections 25 (3) and (4) and 25.5 (1) and (2) of the Interpretation Act, extending a time period if the time for doing an act expires or falls on a holiday or on a day when a business office is not open during regular business hours, do not apply to a voting day.
12 Section 3 of the Schedule is amended by striking out "section 25 (7) [calculation of time] of the Interpretation Act" and substituting "section 26 [Pacific Standard Time and Pacific Daylight Saving Time] of the Interpretation Act".
Mineral Tenure Act
13 Section 6.5 of the Mineral Tenure Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 292, is amended by striking out "Section 25 (2) and (3) of the Interpretation Act does not apply to a time specified" and substituting "Sections 25 (3) and (4) and 25.5 (1) and (2) of the Interpretation Act do not apply to a time specified, or the expiration of a period".
Public Guardian and Trustee Act
14 Section 21 (6) of the Public Guardian and Trustee Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 383, is amended by striking out "statement referred to in section 15 (1) of the Crown Proceeding Act" and substituting "report referred to in section 15 of the Crown Proceeding Act".
Vancouver Charter
15 Section 8. of the Vancouver Charter, S.B.C. 1953, c. 55, is repealed and the following substituted:
8. Sections 25 (3) and (4) and 25.5 (1) and (2) of the Interpretation Act, extending a time period if the time for doing an act expires or falls on a holiday or on a day when a business office is not open during regular business hours, do not apply to a voting day.
16 Section 194. is amended by striking out "Greenwich time" and substituting "Greenwich Mean Time" and by striking out "Pacific Standard time as defined in section 25 (7) of the Interpretation Act" and substituting "Pacific Standard Time as defined in section 26 (1) of the Interpretation Act".
Part 2 – Finance and Deputy Premier Amendments
Cooperative Association Act
17 Section 36 of the Cooperative Association Act, S.B.C. 1999, c. 28, is amended
(a) in subsection (1) by striking out "A member of an association whose membership" and substituting "A person whose membership in an association",
(b) in subsection (1) (a) by striking out "member's" and substituting "person's",
(c) in subsection (2) (d) by striking out "member" and substituting "person",
(d) in subsection (2) (e) by striking out "on the member" and substituting "on the person and cause the housing cooperative to comply with other prescribed conditions", and
(e) by adding the following subsection:
(3) The notice referred to in subsection (2) (e) must be accompanied by a notice in the prescribed form of the person's right to appeal the termination under section 37 (3).
18 Section 39 is amended by striking out "member" and substituting "person".
19 Section 211 (2) is amended by adding the following paragraph:
(a.1) prescribing conditions for the purposes of sections 36 (2) (e) and 37 (2.1) (b) and establishing rules respecting those conditions; .
Part 3 – Municipal Affairs and Housing Amendments
Building Act
20 Section 3 of the Building Act, S.B.C. 2015, c. 2, is amended by adding the following subsections:
(3) The Regulations Act does not apply to a building regulation.
(4) Notice of the enactment, amendment, repeal or replacement of a building regulation must be published in the Gazette.
Fire Services Act
21 Section 47 of the Fire Services Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 144, is amended by adding the following subsections:
(4) The Regulations Act does not apply to a regulation under subsection (2) (g).
(5) Notice of the enactment, amendment, repeal or replacement of a regulation under subsection (2) (g) must be published in the Gazette.
Fire Safety Act
22 The Fire Safety Act, S.B.C. 2016, c. 19, is amended by adding the following section:
48.1 (1) The Regulations Act does not apply to a BC fire code.
(2) Notice of the enactment, amendment, repeal or replacement of a BC fire code must be published in the Gazette.
23 The provisions of this Act referred to in column 1 of the following table come into force as set out in column 2 of the table:
| Item | Column 1 Provisions of Act |
Column 2 Commencement |
| 1 | Anything not elsewhere covered by this table | The date of Royal Assent |
| 2 | Sections 2 to 6 | By regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council |
| 3 | Sections 8 to 13 | By regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council |
| 4 | Sections 15 to 19 | By regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council |