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Time Limits and Other Periods Act (COVID-19) (S.C. 2020, c. 11, s. 11)

Act current to 2024-10-30

Table of Contents

Time Limits and Other Periods Act (COVID-19)

S.C. 2020, c. 11, s. 11

Assented to 2020-07-27

An Act respecting the suspension or extension of time limits and the extension of other periods as part of the response to the coronavirus disease 2019

[Enacted by section 11 of chapter 11 of the Statutes of Canada, 2020, in force on assent July 27, 2020.]

Short Title

Marginal note:Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Time Limits and Other Periods Act (COVID-19).

Interpretation and Application

Marginal note:Definition of period

2 In this Act, period includes the time during which a licence, permit or other authorization is valid.

Marginal note:Effect of suspension or extension

3 If a time limit is suspended or extended or a period is extended under this Act, then, during the period that the suspension or extension is in effect, every reference in any Act of Parliament or its regulations to that time limit or period is to be read as a reference to the time limit or period as it is suspended or extended.

Marginal note:Non-application — offences

Purpose

Marginal note:Purpose

  • 5 (1) The purpose of this Act is

    • (a) to temporarily suspend certain time limits and to temporarily authorize, in a flexible manner, the suspension or extension of other time limits in order to prevent any exceptional circumstances that may be produced by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from making it difficult or impossible to meet those time limits; and

    • (b) to temporarily authorize, in a flexible manner, the extension of other periods in order to prevent any unfair or undesirable effects that may result from the expiry of those periods due to those exceptional circumstances.

  • Marginal note:For greater certainty

    (2) For greater certainty, this Act is to be interpreted in a manner that provides certainty in relation to proceedings and that respects the rule of law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Time Limits Related to Proceedings

Marginal note:Suspensions

  • 6 (1) The following time limits are, if established by or under an Act of Parliament, suspended for the period that starts on March 13, 2020 and that ends on September 13, 2020 or on any earlier day fixed by order of the Governor in Council made on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice:

    • (a) any limitation or prescription period for commencing a proceeding before a court;

    • (b) any time limit in relation to something that is to be done in a proceeding before a court; and

    • (c) any time limit within which an application for leave to commence a proceeding or to do something in relation to a proceeding is to be made to a court.

  • Marginal note:Court orders — variation

    (2) The court may, by order, vary the suspension of a time limit as long as the commencement date of the suspension remains the same and the duration of the suspension does not exceed six months.

  • Marginal note:Court orders — effects

    (3) The court may make orders respecting the effects of a failure to meet a suspended time limit, including orders that cancel or vary those effects.

  • Marginal note:Orders in council

    (4) The Governor in Council may, by order made on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice, lift a suspension in circumstances specified in the order.

Other Time Limits and Periods

Marginal note:Ministerial orders — Acts and regulations

  • 7 (1) The minister who is responsible for an Act of Parliament set out in column 1 of the schedule or a relevant portion of the Act may make an order

    • (a) suspending or extending a time limit that is established by or under any provision of the Act that is set out in column 2;

    • (b) extending any other period that is established by or under any provision of the Act that is set out in column 2;

    • (c) if a regulation is set out in column 2 in respect of the Act,

      • (i) suspending or extending a time limit that is established by or under that regulation, or

      • (ii) extending any other period that is established by or under that regulation; or

    • (d) extending a suspension or extension.

  • Marginal note:Ministerial orders — regulations

    (2) The minister who is responsible for a regulation set out in column 1 of the schedule or a relevant portion of the regulation may make an order

    • (a) suspending or extending a time limit that is established by or under any provision of the regulation that is set out in column 2;

    • (b) extending any other period that is established by or under any provision of the regulation that is set out in column 2; or

    • (c) extending a suspension or extension.

  • Marginal note:Non-application

    (3) An order under subsection (1) or (2) does not apply in respect of a time limit or other period that ends on or after December 31, 2020.

  • Marginal note:Duration

    (4) The total duration of a suspension or extension must not exceed six months. However, a suspension must not have the effect of allowing a time limit to continue after December 31, 2020 and an extended time limit or period must end on or before that day.

  • Marginal note:Retroactivity

    (5) An order under subsection (1) or (2) may, if it so provides, have retroactive effect, but not before March 13, 2020, and it may also include provisions respecting the effects of a failure to meet the time limit or of the expiry of the period before the day on which the order was made, including provisions that cancel or vary those effects.

  • Marginal note:Additional content

    (6) An order under subsection (1) or (2) may provide that

    • (a) a suspension or extension does not apply in respect of any circumstance specified in the order without the consent of a person, court or body specified in the order;

    • (b) a suspension or extension applies in respect of any circumstance specified in the order unless a person, court or body specified in the order decides otherwise; or

    • (c) a person, court or body specified in the order may vary the effects of the order in relation to any circumstance specified in the order.

  • Marginal note:Regulations

    (7) The Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice, make regulations restricting, or imposing conditions on, a power to make an order under subsection (1) or (2).

General

Marginal note:Statutory Instruments Act

8 The Statutory Instruments Act does not apply to an order made under subsection 6(1), (2), (3) or (4) or 7(1) or (2).

Marginal note:Sunset provision

9 A power conferred on the Governor in Council or a minister under this Act is not to be exercised after September 30, 2020.

Transparency and Parliamentary Oversight

Marginal note:Publication on website

  • 10 (1) An order made under subsection 6(1) or (4) or 7(1) or (2), together with the reasons for making it, must be published, as soon as feasible after the day on which it is made but no later than five days after the day on which it is made, on a Government of Canada website for a period of at least six months.

  • Marginal note:Publication in Canada Gazette

    (2) An order referred to in subsection (1) must be published in Part I of the Canada Gazette within 14 days after the day on which it is made.

Marginal note:Tabling in Parliament

  • 11 (1) An order made under subsection 6(1) or (4) or 7(1) or (2) must be tabled in each House of Parliament within three days after the day on which it is made, unless a House is not sitting within those three days, in which case the order is to be tabled in that House at the earliest opportunity.

  • Marginal note:Referral to committee

    (2) An order that is tabled in a House of Parliament must be referred to a committee of that House.

SCHEDULE(Subsections 7(1) and (2))

Acts, Regulations and Provisions

Column 1Column 2

Acts

Provisions and Regulations

  • Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act

    Loi sur la faillite et l’insolvabilité

subsections 50.4(2), (6), (8) and (9), section 51, subsection 66.12(5), section 66.15, subsection 66.31(1), section 102 and subsection 170.1(3) of the Act

  • Bankruptcy and Insolvency General Rules

    Règles générales sur la faillite et l’insolvabilité

  • Boards of Trade Act

    Loi sur les chambres de commerce

subsections 17(1) and 42(1) and (2) of the Act

  • Canada Business Corporations Act

    Loi canadienne sur les sociétés par actions

subsections 133(1), 135(1), 155(1), 159(1) and 160(1) of the Act

  • Canada Cooperatives Act

    Loi canadienne sur les coopératives

subsections 50(1), 52(1) and 247(1), section 251 and subsection 252(1) of the Act

  • Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act

    Loi de mise en oeuvre de l’Accord atlantique Canada — Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador

subsections 31(2), 35(3), 39(1), 69(2) and 188(1) and (2), section 202.1, paragraphs 205.013(q) and 205.019(1)(p) and subsections 205.04(1), 205.041(3), 205.042(1) and (2), 205.044(3), 205.046(4), 205.059(5), 205.06(2) and (9), 205.063(2), 205.071(1), 205.098(3) and 205.1(2) of the Act

  • Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act

    Loi canadienne sur les organisations à but non lucratif

subsections 160(1), 162(1), 172(1), 175(1) and 176(1) of the Act

  • Canadian Forces Superannuation Act

    Loi sur la pension de retraite des Forces canadiennes

paragraph 6(b), subsections 6.1(1), 8(1), 23(1) and (2), 29(1) and (5), 41(1), (3) and (4), 42(1) and (1.2) and 43(1), sections 46, 57, 59.6 and 59.7, subsections 62(1) and (2) and 69(2), sections 71, 72 and 92 and subsection 93(1) of the Act

  • Canadian Forces Superannuation Regulations

    Règlement sur la pension de retraite des Forces canadiennes

  • Reserve Force Pension Plan Regulations

    Règlement sur le régime de pension de la force de réserve

  • Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act

    Loi sur les arrangements avec les créanciers des compagnies

section 11.001 and subsections 11.02(1) and 11.2(5) of the Act

  • Diplomatic Service (Special) Superannuation Act

    Loi sur la pension spéciale du service diplomatique

section 7 and subsection 11(1) of the Act

  • Excise Tax Act

    Loi sur la taxe d’accise

subsections 298(1) and (2), 303(7) and 304(5) of the Act

  • Firearms Act

    Loi sur les armes à feu

section 64 of the Act

  • Garnishment, Attachment and Pension Diversion Act

    Loi sur la saisie-arrêt et la distraction de pensions

subsection 39(2) of the Act

  • Income Tax Act

    Loi de l’impôt sur le revenu

subsection 37(11), paragraph (m) of the definition investment tax credit in subsection 127(9) and subsections 152(3.1) and (4), 166.1(7) and 166.2(5) of the Act

  • Investment Canada Act

    Loi sur Investissement Canada

sections 25.2 and 25.3 of the Act

  • National Security Review of Investments Regulations

    Règlement sur les investissements susceptibles de porter atteinte à la sécurité nationale (examen)

  • Lieutenant Governors Superannuation Act

    Loi sur la pension de retraite des lieutenants-gouverneurs

subsections 3(3) and 5(1) of the Act

  • Lieutenant Governors Superannuation Regulations

    Règlement sur la pension de retraite des lieutenants-gouverneurs

  • Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act

    Loi sur les allocations de retraite des parlementaires

subsections 10(1) and 32(1) of the Act

  • Former Members of Parliament Elections for Joint and Survivor Benefits Regulations

    Règlement sur les choix relatifs à la pension de réversion des anciens parlementaires

  • Recovery of Overpayments Made to Former Members of Parliament Regulations

    Règlement sur le recouvrement des versements payés en trop aux anciens parlementaires

  • Pension Benefits Division Act

    Loi sur le partage des prestations de retraite

subsection 6(1) of the Act

  • Public Service Superannuation Act

    Loi sur la pension de la fonction publique

sections 6 and 9, subsections 10(4) and (5) and 25(7), section 39, subsection 40(11), section 51 and subsection 57(2) of the Act

  • Counting of Service by Former Members of the Senate or House of Commons Regulations

    Règlement du calcul du service des anciens membres du Sénat ou de la Chambre des communes

  • Portions of the Public Service General Divestiture Regulations

    Règlement général sur la cession de secteurs de la fonction publique

  • Public Service Superannuation Regulations

    Règlement sur la pension de la fonction publique

  • Public Service Superannuation Special Election Regulations

    Règlement sur l’exercice d’un choix spécial aux fins de la pension de la fonction publique

  • Supplementary Death Benefit Regulations

    Règlement sur les prestations supplémentaires de décès

  • Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act

    Loi sur la pension de retraite la Gendarmerie royale du Canada

sections 6, 6.1 and 8, subsections 9(4) and 18(4) and section 24 of the Act

  • Former Members of Parliament Counting of Service Regulations

    Règlement sur l’inclusion du service des anciens parlementaires

  • Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Regulations

    Règlement sur la pension de retraite de la Gendarmerie royale du Canada

  • Special Import Measures Act

    Loi sur les mesures spéciales d’importation

subsections 41(1) and 41.1(3), paragraph 41.1(4)(d), subsections 42(1) and 43(1) and (2) and sections 55, 55.1, 56, 57, 59, 66, 76.01, 76.02 and 76.03 of the Act

  • Wage Earner Protection Program Act

    Loi sur le Programme de protection des salariés

subparagraph (a)(i) of the definition eligible wages in subsection 2(1) of the Act

Regulations

Provisions

  • Aviation Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

    Règlement sur la santé et la sécurité au travail (aéronefs)

section 9.1 and subsection 9.5(5) of the Regulations

  • Canada Labour Standards Regulations

    Règlement du Canada sur les normes du travail

section 30 of the Regulations

  • Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

    Règlement canadien sur la santé et la sécurité au travail

subsection 16.12(5) of the Regulations

  • Food and Drug Regulations

    Règlement sur les aliments et drogues

paragraphs C.05.006(1)(b) and C.05.008(1)(b) of the Regulations

  • Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

    Règlement sur la santé et la sécurité au travail en milieu maritime

paragraph 111(1)(b) of the Regulations

  • Nunavut Mining Regulations

    Règlement sur l’exploitation minière au Nunavut

sections 33, 60, 61, 62, 63 and 64 of the Regulations

  • On Board Trains Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

    Règlement sur la santé et la sécurité au travail (trains)

subsection 12.7(3) of the Regulations

  • Royal Canadian Mounted Police Pension Continuation Regulations

    Règlement sur la continuation des pensions de la Gendarmerie royale du Canada

paragraph 9(b), subsection 10(2), sections 13 and 16 and subsection 21(3) of the Regulations

Table of Contents

AMENDMENTS NOT IN FORCE


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