{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/british-north-america-act-1867/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/british-north-america-act-1867/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Vict/30-31/3",
  "legislation_title": "British North America Act 1867",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/british-north-america-act-1867",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "An Act for the Union of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and the Government thereof; and for Purposes connected therewith.\n[29th March 1867]\nWhereas the provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick have expressed their Desire to be federally united into One Dominion under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with a Constitution similar in Principle to that of the United Kingdom:\nAnd whereas such a Union would conduce to the Welfare of the Provinces and promote the Interests of the British Empire:\nAnd whereas on the Establishment of the Union by Authority of Parliament it is expedient, not only that the Constitution of the Legislative Authority in the Dominion be provided for, but also that the Nature of the Executive Government therein be declared:\nAnd whereas it is expedient that Provision be made for the eventual Admission into the Union of other Parts of British North America:\nBe it therefore enacted and declared by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, as follows:",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Act excluded by British North America Act 1886 (c. 35), s. 2 applied to Newfoundland by British North America Act 1949 (c. 22), Sch. para. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "The Act is not necessarily in the form in which it is in force in Canada."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/30-31/3/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T13:00:28.561125+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}