Statute

Plain meaning

A written law enacted by a legislature, such as Parliament or a provincial legislature.

Also called

Key points

• Statute helps explain how legal authority is created, interpreted, challenged, or applied.
• Tax results often depend on both statutory wording and how courts or administrative bodies interpret that wording.
• The level of authority matters: a statute, regulation, appellate decision, trial decision, and administrative guidance do not all carry the same weight.
• For readers, the concept helps separate a binding legal rule from a factual result, policy proposal, administrative position, or litigation step.

Why it comes up

Canadian tax rules are mainly statutory, so wording in acts such as the Income Tax Act and Excise Tax Act is central to tax outcomes.