Age of Majority and Accountability Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, Age of Majority and Accountability Act

Today, December 5, 2024, current consolidated laws on e-Laws are current (up-to-date) to November 1, 2024 (e-Laws currency date).

Age of Majority and Accountability Act

R.S.O. 1990, Chapter A.7

Consolidation Period: From July 25, 2007 to the e-Laws currency date.

Last amendment: 2006, c. 21, Sched. F, s. 101.

Legislative History: 2006, c. 21, Sched. F, s. 101.

Age of majority

1 Every person attains the age of majority and ceases to be a minor on attaining the age of eighteen years.  R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, s. 1.

Application of s. 1

2 Section 1 applies for the purpose of any rule of law in respect of which the Legislature has jurisdiction.  R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, s. 2.

References to “minor” and similar expressions

3 (1) In the absence of a definition or of an indication of a contrary intention, section 1 applies for the construction of the expression “adult”, “full age”, “infant”, “infancy”, “minor”, “minority” and similar expressions in,

(a) any Act of the Legislature or any regulation, rule, order or by-law made under an Act of the Legislature; and

(b) any deed, will or other instrument made on or after the 1st day of September, 1971.  R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, s. 3 (1).

Idem

(2) The use of any expression set out in subsection (1) or any similar expression shall not, in itself, be taken to indicate a contrary intention for the purposes of this section without some further indication of a contrary intention.  R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, s. 3 (2).

References in Federal Acts adopted by reference

4 Where, by any Act of the Legislature, an Act of Parliament or any provision thereof is made to apply in respect of any Act or matter or thing over which the Legislature has jurisdiction, in applying that Act of Parliament, or that  provision thereof in respect of that Act, matter or thing, any reference to the age of twenty-one years in the Act of Parliament or that provision thereof shall be read as a reference to the age of eighteen years.  R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, s. 4.

Age

(1) A person attains an age specified as a number of years at the first instant of the corresponding anniversary of his or her birth.  2006, c. 21, Sched. F, s. 101.

Exceptions in documents

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of a document that provides for a different method of calculating a person’s age.  2006, c. 21, Sched. F, s. 101.

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

2006, c. 21, Sched. F, s. 101 - 25/07/2007

Existing wills

6 Despite any rule of law, a will or codicil executed before the 1st day of September, 1971 shall not be treated for the purposes of this Act as made on or after that day by reason only that the will or codicil is confirmed by a codicil executed on or after that day.  R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, s. 6.

Enactments incorporated in existing deeds, etc.

7 This Act does not affect the construction of a provision of an Act of the Legislature or a regulation, rule, order or by-law made thereunder that is incorporated in and has effect as part of a deed, will or other instrument if the construction of the deed, will or other instrument is not affected by section 3.  R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, s. 7.

Accumulations

8 This Act does not invalidate any direction for accumulation expressed in a settlement or other disposition made by deed, will or other instrument and executed before the 1st day of September, 1971 that, but for this Act, was a permissible period of accumulation.  R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, s. 8.

Perpetuities

9 This Act does not apply so as to affect the law relating to perpetuities.  R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, s. 9.

Persons under 18 described as minors

10 A person who has not attained the age of eighteen years may be described as a minor instead of as an infant.  R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, s. 10.

Note:  Despite Schedules A and B to the Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1990, section 11 of the Age of Majority and Accountability Act, being chapter 7 of the Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1980, shall be deemed to continue in force.  See: 1993, c. 27, s. 8, par. 2 and s. 9.