PEI's statutes are now on the Internet and available to the public at www.gov.pe.ca. This means that any law currently in force on Prince Edward Island can be viewed in its entirety by anyone who accesses the Government of PEI website.
The statutes are accessible by name . But they are also searchable by key word. That means that anyone searching the site can find all the statutes relating to a particular topic, simply by entering a key word or phrase. The site also provides helpful hints about how to chose the words or phrases that will facilitate the search. And, by entering the name of a department, it is possible to see every statute for which the department is responsible.
The project is a joint initiative of the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Department of Community Services and Attorney General and the Department of Development.
"It took considerable time to complete this initiative, "said Minister of Community Affairs and Attorney General Wes MacAleer. "But we believe all the effort was worth it for the service it will provide to anyone seeking information about statutes on Prince Edward Island."
The text of statutes is ordinarily used by lawyers, either inside or outside the province. But the easier access will allow businesses or organizations to search for all the legislation that is pertinent to their interests. It will also allow easier access for people who may be considering a business move to the Island and have questions about local laws.
The statutes will also be of interest to ordinary citizens who wish to better understand the province's legal or legislative framework.
Written copies of the statutes will continue to be the official copies for legal purposes. They can be purchased from Island Information Service.
Development Minister Don MacKinnon says he's pleased the statutes have been included on the provincial website.
"This is indicative of our desire to provide the public with one comprehensive place for ready access to information about PEI", MacKinnon said." Our government has always pledged to be more open to Islanders and to provide them with as much information as possible. This is an example of that commitment."
If a statute changes in any way, or a new law is added, the changes will be added to the website as soon as they are proclaimed by Lieutenant Governor in Council.