British Columbia Terms of Union

The British Columbia Terms of Union (French: Conditions de l’adhésion de la Colombie-Britannique) is one of the enactments which make up the Constitution of Canada. It united the Colony of British Columbia with Canada, and contains the terms and conditions of the union that had been negotiated between the governments of BC and Canada.

After the proposed terms of union were negotiated by the representatives of the governments of British Columbia and Canada, they were presented and debated in the Legislative Council of British Columbia and the Canadian House of Commons and Senate. Upon ratification by the legislative bodies, the terms of union were forwarded to the British government in London. The British Queen-in-Council adopted the terms of union, as a statutory order enacted under the authority of section 146 of the British North America Act, 1867 (now the Constitution Act, 1867). Once enacted by the order-in-council, the terms of union had the same constitutional force as if enacted as part of the Constitution Act, 1867 itself.

The Terms of Union came into force on July 20, 1871. On that date, British Columbia became the sixth province of Canada. The Terms of Union continue in force as the foundation for British Columbia's constitutional status within Canada.