Plain meaning
A formal legal instrument made by the Governor in Council, often used to bring rules into force or make regulations.
Also called
orders in council
OIC
Key points
- Orders in Council can be used to fix coming-into-force dates, approve regulations, appointments, or certain government decisions.
- They are usually published through official federal channels.
- For tax and tariff matters, an order can sometimes determine when a measure starts applying.
- An Order in Council should be read with the statute, regulation, or measure it implements.
Why it comes up
Readers may see tax or tariff measures announced first, then made operational through orders or regulations.