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Orders in Council

Orders in Council are the legal instruments by which the Lieutenant Governor in Council exercises its authority.

The Lieutenant Governor in Council can exercise the powers given to it by statute, regulation or royal prerogative through Orders in Council. This includes the power to make regulations, as defined in the Regulations Act, and the power to proclaim an act into force.

After a bill has been passed by the Legislative Assembly, the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta approves the bill on behalf of the Crown. This makes the bill law and is called Royal Assent. The Lieutenant Governor or the government as a final step sets the date the law comes into force. A law can come into force on royal assent, on a named date, or on proclamation.

In addition to being used to make regulations, Orders in Council are used to appoint individuals to boards, proclaim acts in force, and make other government decisions.

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