The provincial government is introducing legislative changes that will establish the online version of The Saskatchewan Gazette as an official record.
The proposed amendments to The Queen’s Printer’s Act, 1996, introduced in the Legislature on Novemer 2, mean citizens will be able to reference the online Gazette as soon as it is posted and rely on it in legal proceedings as an authoritative legal record.
“These changes modernize the Gazette by establishing both print and online copies as official government records,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Gordon Wyant said. “Legislation requires many ministries and other agencies to use the Gazette for public notices, but citizens increasingly prefer to access information online. This change increases access to justice by ensuring that the Gazette is official and authoritative as soon as it is posted.”
The Gazette contains public notices and Regulation changes that result from new legislation, and is frequently referenced in legal proceedings. The Queen’s Printer’s Act requires paper publication of the Gazette not less than twice a month. The publication is currently produced weekly and posted on Fridays.
While current legislation identifies the paper version of the Gazette as an official record, it does not extend that recognition to the online version. This means that only the paper version of the Gazette, which can take up to a week to print and mail, can be used as evidence in trials and legal proceedings. These changes will remove that limitation once the legislation comes into force.
The Gazette can be accessed for free on Freelaw at www.publications.saskatchewan.ca.