General amending formula (7/50 formula)

E52224

constitutional amending procedure federal-provincial amending formula part of the Constitution of Canada

The General amending formula (7/50 formula) is the primary procedure for changing Canada’s Constitution, requiring approval from the federal Parliament and at least seven provinces representing at least 50% of the national population.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form	Occurrences
General amending formula	0

Statements (47)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	constitutional amending procedure ⓘ federal-provincial amending formula ⓘ part of the Constitution of Canada ⓘ
adoptedAsPartOf	patriation of the Constitution of Canada ⓘ
alsoKnownAs	7/50 amending formula ⓘ 7/50 formula ⓘ
appliesTo	Constitution of Canada ⓘ
bindingOn	Canadian federal government (Ottawa) ⓘ surface form: federal government of Canada provincial governments of Canada ⓘ
cameIntoForce	1982 ⓘ
constitutionalProvisionType	general rule with specified exceptions ⓘ
constitutionalStatus	entrenched ⓘ
country	Canada ⓘ
excludes	territorial governments ⓘ
federalRole	requires a resolution of the Senate and House of Commons ⓘ
governs	how most future constitutional changes are made in Canada ⓘ
isPartOf	Constitution Act, 1982 ⓘ Constitution Act, 1982 ⓘ surface form: Part V of the Constitution Act, 1982
languageOfEnactment	English ⓘ French ⓘ
legalBasis	Constitution Act, 1982 ⓘ
legalEffect	no constitutional amendment within its scope is valid without meeting the 7/50 thresholds ⓘ
notUsedFor	amendments changing the principle of proportionate representation of the provinces in the House of Commons ⓘ amendments changing the use of English or French language rights in Canada ⓘ amendments concerning the composition of the Supreme Court of Canada in certain respects ⓘ amendments concerning the office of the Queen, Governor General and Lieutenant Governors ⓘ amendments requiring unanimous consent of the provinces ⓘ amendments under the federal unilateral amending procedure ⓘ amendments under the provincial unilateral amending procedure ⓘ
populationThreshold	at least 50% of the population of all the provinces ⓘ
primaryPurpose	to provide the general procedure for amending the Constitution of Canada ⓘ
provincialRole	requires resolutions of at least seven provincial legislative assemblies ⓘ
relatedConcept	Constitution Act, 1867 ⓘ federal unilateral amending procedure ⓘ provincial unilateral amending procedure ⓘ unanimity formula ⓘ
replaced	United Kingdom’s role in amending the British North America Acts ⓘ
requires	formal constitutional amendment process ⓘ
requiresApprovalFrom	House of Commons of Canada ⓘ Parliament of Canada ⓘ Senate of Canada ⓘ at least seven provincial legislatures ⓘ
requiresPopulationCalculation	based on provincial, not territorial, populations ⓘ
scope	applies to amendments affecting multiple provinces ⓘ applies to most structural changes to federal-provincial arrangements ⓘ
section	Section 38 of the Constitution Act, 1982 ⓘ
usedFor	most amendments to the Constitution of Canada ⓘ

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Constitution Act, 1982 → established → General amending formula (7/50 formula) ⓘ