Acts and Regulations

2011, c.103 - Age of Majority Act

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Current to 1 January 2024
2011, c.103
Age of Majority Act
Deposited May 13, 2011
Age of majority
1(1)A person attains the age of majority and ceases to be a minor on attaining the age of 19 years.
1(2)Subject to the provisions of this Act, this section applies with respect to every law that is within the legislative competence of the Legislature and in force in the Province on or after August 1, 1972.
R.S.1973, c.A-4, s.1
Meaning of words
2(1)The words “child”, except when used only to indicate a child-parent relationship, “infant”, “infancy”, “minor”, “minority”, and similar words shall be construed as referring to a person who has not attained the age of majority, and the words “adult”, “full age” and similar words shall be construed as referring to a person who has attained the age of majority when they are used in any of the following:
(a) an Act of the Legislature, or any regulation, order or by-law made under an Act of the Legislature, enacted or made before, on or after August 1, 1972;
(b) an Act of Parliament or a provision of an Act of Parliament that, by an Act of the Legislature enacted before, on or after August 1, 1972, is made to apply in respect of any Act, matter or thing that is within the legislative competence of the Legislature;
(c) a deed, will or any other instrument made on or after August 1, 1972; and
(d) an order or direction of a court made before, on or after August 1, 1972.
2(2)Subsection (1) does not apply when it is expressed or implied in the enactment, regulation, order, by-law, direction or instrument that a meaning was intended by the use of a word that is inconsistent with the construction required to be placed on the word by that subsection.
2(3)A reference in any of the following to any age between the ages of 19 years and 21 years, inclusive, shall be deemed to be a reference to the age of 19 years:
(a) an Act of the Legislature or any regulation, order or by-law made under an Act of the Legislature enacted or made before August 1, 1972; or
(b) an order or direction of a court made before August 1, 1972.
R.S.1973, c.A-4, s.2
Particular age attained at birthday
3A person attains a particular age expressed in years at the commencement of that anniversary of the date of his or her birth.
R.S.1973, c.A-4, s.3
Effect of Act on deeds, wills and other instruments
4(1)Every provision in a deed, will or any other instrument executed before August 1, 1972, shall have effect and be construed as if this Act is not in force.
4(2)Despite any rule of law, a will or codicil executed before August 1, 1972, shall not be considered, for the purpose of this Act, as having been made on or after that day by reason only that the codicil or will is confirmed by a codicil executed on or after that day.
R.S.1973, c.A-4, s.4
Law of perpetuities unaffected
5This Act does not affect the law relating to perpetuities.
R.S.1973, c.A-4, s.5
Effect of Act on actions
6This Act does not affect a right of action or a defence to an action that is based on the age of a party and that existed on August 1, 1972.
R.S.1973, c.A-4, s.6
Effect of Act on period of limitation
7The period of limitation in respect of a right of action commences to run on August 1, 1972, in the case of a person who, on August 1, 1972,
(a) has attained the age of 19 years but has not attained the age of 21 years, and
(b) has a right of action in respect of which the period of limitation applicable to the bringing of the action would have, but for this Act, commenced to run on the person attaining the age of 21 years.
R.S.1973, c.A-4, s.7
“Minor” described
8A person who has not attained the age of 19 years may be described as a minor.
R.S.1973, c.A-4, s.9
N.B. This Act was proclaimed and came into force September 1, 2011.
N.B. This Act is consolidated to September 1, 2011.