For youth under 18 years old, there are different rules for when you can legally consent to sexual activity, depending on your age. Read morebelow about what Canadian law says about what age you have to be to give valid consent to sexual activity.
Canada Legal Airsoft Guns The laws surrounding airsoft guns are different in the United States and Canada, and it is important to know the local laws where you live before making a purchase. The airsoft guns in this section meet the legal requirements for crossing the border into Canada. What is the legal gambling age in Canada? This is actually a bit of a complicated question because the legal gambling age differs depending on what area of the country you are in. Here we will look at why Canada has a legal gambling age, who makes the decisions about Canada's legal gambling age, and what these ages are for different types of.
What is Consent?
In Canada, for any sexual activity or sexual touching to be legal, it has to be done with the voluntarily permission of every person involved. Giving your voluntary permission is called 'consent'. Sexual activity or sexual touching without consent is against the criminal law, no matter what your age.
At what age can you agree to sexual activity if you are under 18?
Canada Age Of Consent
In Canada, you have to be 16 years old to be able to legally agree to sexual activity.1 This is called the 'age of consent'. Sexual activity includes a range of activity from kissing to sexual intercourse and cannot include any abuse or exploitation. There are some exceptions for youth under 16, but only if the youth are in 'peer groups' or 'close in age' (see below).2
You have to be 18 years old to be able to legally agree to sexual activity that 'exploits' – when it involves prostitution, pornography or when sexual activity happens in a relationship of authority, trust or dependency (for example, with a teacher, coach or babysitter).
Peer Group Exceptions
Ages 12 and 13
12 and 13 year olds can consent to sexual activity with another young person who is less than two years older than themselves.3
- For example, if you are 12 years old, you can legally consent to sexual activity with someone who is between 12-14
years old. - If you are 13 years old, you can legally consent to sexual activity with someone who is between 12-15 years old.
Ages 14 and 15
14 and 15 year olds can consent to sexual activity with a partner that is less than five years older than
themselves.4
- For example, if you are 14 years old,
you can legally consent to sexual activity with someone who is between 12-19
years old. - If you are 15 years old, you can legally consent to sexual activity
with someone who is between 13-20 years old.
Ages 16 and 17
If you are 16 or 17, you have reached the age of consent for sexual activity, as long as your partner is at least 14 years old.
These 'peer group' exceptions mean that if teens under 16 years old are close in age, they can legally agree to sexual activity with each other, including things like 'sexting'. But, if a teenager under 16 is participating insexual activity with a person who is older than their 'peer group/close in age' group, it is considered a criminal offence. It does
not matter if the teen gave their permission because the consent is not considered legally valid.5
IMPORTANT: There are also certain situations where a youth cannot legally consent to sexual activity. This means that even if a teen gives their permission or says 'yes' to sexual activity, the law will not recognize the consent as a valid 'yes':
- In Canada, youth under 12 years old cannot legally consent to sexual activity in any situation.
- A youth under 18 cannot legally consent to sexual activity with someone over 18 where there is a relationship of authority, trust, or dependency (for example, a coach, teacher, or family member).
- A youth under 18 cannot legally consent to sexual abuse or 'exploitation' such as pornography or prostitution.6
Endnotes
[2]Ibid. See also Canada, Department of Justice,
'Age of Consent to Sexual Activity', (2015) at para 5.
[4]Ibid at para 6.
[6]Ibid at para 4.
Contrary to popular belief, the legal drinking age in Canada varies from territory to territory. Read on to know the age at which you can start drinking alcohol in this country.
Legal Age In Canada To Leave Home
The legal drinking age in any country defines the age at which an individual is permitted to consume alcohol. The laws regarding the legal drinking age vary from country to country. In fact, there are several countries where there are no absolute laws against drinking. Many of you may be interested in learning about the legal drinking age in Canada, simply because it is 21 in the USA, and fortunately/unfortunately, it is lower in Canada. This is a common reason why a lot of college students head up north to let their hair down and go on a drinking spree.
Legal Age In Canada To Get Married
What is the Drinking Age in Canada?
The legal drinking age in Canada varies in the different provinces and territories that make up the country. A lot of people are under the assumption that there is a separate law on the drinking age in Canada for American citizens. However, the only rule is that you must carry an identity and age proof with you while you are consuming alcohol at any location, so that you may peacefully enjoy your drink without getting into trouble.
| Province / Territory | Legal Drinking Age |
| Alberta | 18 |
| British Columbia | 19 |
| Manitoba | 18 |
| New Brunswick | 19 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 19 |
| Northwest Territories | 19 |
| Nova Scotia | 19 |
| Nunavut | 19 |
| Ontario | 19 |
| Prince Edward Island | 19 |
| Quebec | 18 |
| Saskatchewan | 19 |
| Yukon Territory | 19 |
There are certain exceptions to the rule about the legal drinking age in Canada.
- You may drink if you are underage in licensed premises, such as taverns, only when accompanied by and under the supervision of an adult guardian in the provinces of Manitoba and New Brunswick.
- In the provinces of Prince Edward Island, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, an individual who has not yet attained the legal drinking age may consume alcohol at home only under the supervision of a parent or an adult guardian.
The former legal drinking age in the country was 19, but over time this age has been reduced to 18 in the different provinces mentioned above. Canada does not promote alcohol consumption in any manner. In fact, the advertising of alcoholic beverages and their prices is banned, even near establishments that legally sell alcohol. Moreover, advertisements that promote alcohol consumption as a means of gaining social acceptance, of giving in to peer pressure, or as a way of solving personal problems are completely banned in the country.
If you are 16 or 17, you have reached the age of consent for sexual activity, as long as your partner is at least 14 years old.
These 'peer group' exceptions mean that if teens under 16 years old are close in age, they can legally agree to sexual activity with each other, including things like 'sexting'. But, if a teenager under 16 is participating insexual activity with a person who is older than their 'peer group/close in age' group, it is considered a criminal offence. It does
not matter if the teen gave their permission because the consent is not considered legally valid.5
IMPORTANT: There are also certain situations where a youth cannot legally consent to sexual activity. This means that even if a teen gives their permission or says 'yes' to sexual activity, the law will not recognize the consent as a valid 'yes':
- In Canada, youth under 12 years old cannot legally consent to sexual activity in any situation.
- A youth under 18 cannot legally consent to sexual activity with someone over 18 where there is a relationship of authority, trust, or dependency (for example, a coach, teacher, or family member).
- A youth under 18 cannot legally consent to sexual abuse or 'exploitation' such as pornography or prostitution.6
Endnotes
[2]Ibid. See also Canada, Department of Justice,
'Age of Consent to Sexual Activity', (2015) at para 5.
[4]Ibid at para 6.
[6]Ibid at para 4.
Contrary to popular belief, the legal drinking age in Canada varies from territory to territory. Read on to know the age at which you can start drinking alcohol in this country.
Legal Age In Canada To Leave Home
The legal drinking age in any country defines the age at which an individual is permitted to consume alcohol. The laws regarding the legal drinking age vary from country to country. In fact, there are several countries where there are no absolute laws against drinking. Many of you may be interested in learning about the legal drinking age in Canada, simply because it is 21 in the USA, and fortunately/unfortunately, it is lower in Canada. This is a common reason why a lot of college students head up north to let their hair down and go on a drinking spree.
Legal Age In Canada To Get Married
What is the Drinking Age in Canada?
The legal drinking age in Canada varies in the different provinces and territories that make up the country. A lot of people are under the assumption that there is a separate law on the drinking age in Canada for American citizens. However, the only rule is that you must carry an identity and age proof with you while you are consuming alcohol at any location, so that you may peacefully enjoy your drink without getting into trouble.
| Province / Territory | Legal Drinking Age |
| Alberta | 18 |
| British Columbia | 19 |
| Manitoba | 18 |
| New Brunswick | 19 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 19 |
| Northwest Territories | 19 |
| Nova Scotia | 19 |
| Nunavut | 19 |
| Ontario | 19 |
| Prince Edward Island | 19 |
| Quebec | 18 |
| Saskatchewan | 19 |
| Yukon Territory | 19 |
There are certain exceptions to the rule about the legal drinking age in Canada.
- You may drink if you are underage in licensed premises, such as taverns, only when accompanied by and under the supervision of an adult guardian in the provinces of Manitoba and New Brunswick.
- In the provinces of Prince Edward Island, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, an individual who has not yet attained the legal drinking age may consume alcohol at home only under the supervision of a parent or an adult guardian.
The former legal drinking age in the country was 19, but over time this age has been reduced to 18 in the different provinces mentioned above. Canada does not promote alcohol consumption in any manner. In fact, the advertising of alcoholic beverages and their prices is banned, even near establishments that legally sell alcohol. Moreover, advertisements that promote alcohol consumption as a means of gaining social acceptance, of giving in to peer pressure, or as a way of solving personal problems are completely banned in the country.
There is a lot of debate regarding the legal drinking age in a various countries, mainly the United States. Also, there are several considerations regarding whether this age should be lowered. Many argue that keeping the age limit so high is not going to make a difference, as people are going to drink underground anyway. A well-known fact is that when a person is prohibited from doing something, he/she does it anyway, and probably in a risky manner. It is because of the strict implementation of this rule that the younger lot heads to Canada to get their first taste of alcohol, as the legal drinking age there is lower. However, no matter what the legal drinking age, education regarding the right amount of alcohol consumption and the effects of alcohol abuse is very important. An informed consumer will definitely make the right choice, rather than an uninformed consumer who goes wild and guzzles down drink after drink on his/her 21st birthday.
