13 Same sex marriage in Canada by province or territory

Same-sex marriage in Alberta has been legal since July 20, 2005, upon the granting of royal assent to the federal Civil Marriage Act. Alberta was one of the four Canadian provinces and territories where same-sex marriage had not been legalised prior to the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act, along with Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Same-sex marriage in British Columbia became legal on July 8, 2003, after a series of court rulings which ultimately landed in favour of same-sex couples seeking marriage licenses. This made British Columbia the second province in Canada, as well as the second jurisdiction in North America, to legalize same-sex marriage, behind Ontario.

Same-sex marriage in Manitoba has been legal since September 16, 2004. In the case of Vogel v. Canada, the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba ordered the province to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. This decision followed a suit brought by three couples who were denied marriage licences. Both the provincial and federal governments had made it known that they would not oppose the court bid.

Same-sex marriage in New Brunswick has been legal since June 23, 2005 in accordance with a ruling from the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick.

Same-sex marriage in Newfoundland and Labrador has been legal since December 21, 2004, when the province was ordered to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples.

Same-sex marriage in the Northwest Territories has been legal since July 20, 2005. The Canadian territory began granting marriage licences to same-sex couples upon the granting of royal assent to the federal Civil Marriage Act. The Northwest Territories had been one of only four provinces and territories, with Alberta, Nunavut and Prince Edward Island, where same-sex marriage had not already been legalized by court challenges prior to the passage of the federal law.

Same-sex marriage in Nova Scotia has been legal since September 24, 2004, when the province began issuing marriage licences to same-sex couples immediately following a court ruling from the Nova Scotia Supreme Court.

Same-sex marriage in Nunavut has been legal since 20 July 2005. The territory began granting marriage licences to same-sex couples upon the passage of the federal Civil Marriage Act. Previously, beginning in October 2003, same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions were legally recognized in Nunavut.

Same-sex marriage in Ontario has been legal since June 10, 2003. The first legal same-sex marriages performed in Ontario were of Kevin Bourassa to Joe Varnell, and Elaine Vautour to Anne Vautour, by Rev. Brent Hawkes on January 14, 2001. The legality of the marriages was questioned and they were not registered until after June 10, 2003, when the Court of Appeal for Ontario in Halpern v Canada (AG) upheld a lower court ruling which declared that defining marriage in heterosexual-only terms violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Same-sex marriage in Prince Edward Island has been legal since July 20, 2005. The province began the process of updating its laws to recognize same-sex marriage after the passage of the Civil Marriage Act in the House of Commons of Canada. Prince Edward Island had been one of only four provinces and territories, with Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, where same-sex marriage had not already been legalized by court challenges prior to the passage of the law.

Same-sex marriage in Quebec has been legal since March 19, 2004. Quebec became the third Canadian province and the fifth jurisdiction in the world to open marriage to same-sex couples.

Same-sex marriage in Saskatchewan became legal on November 5, 2004, as a result of a decision of the Family Law Division of the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench. This decision followed similar cases in six other provinces and territories, and pre-dated by eight months the federal Civil Marriage Act of 2005, which made same-sex marriage available throughout Canada. Later court decisions have dealt with the issue of marriage commissioners who object to performing same-sex marriages on the basis of their religious beliefs.

Same-sex marriage in Yukon has been legal since July 14, 2004. The territory became the fourth jurisdiction in Canada to legalise same-sex marriage, after the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec.