A Canadian Affidavit is a sworn written statement of fact made voluntarily by a person (called the deponent or affiant) under oath or solemn affirmation, for use as evidence in legal, administrative, or business proceedings. Under Canadian law, an affidavit carries the same weight as oral testimony given in court — the deponent is swearing that the facts stated are true to the best of their knowledge, and making a false statement constitutes perjury under the Criminal Code of Canada, Section 131, punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment.

The legal framework for affidavits in Canada is governed by the Canada Evidence Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-5), which establishes the admissibility of sworn statements in federal proceedings, and by each province's evidence legislation — such as Ontario's Evidence Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. E.23) and British Columbia's Evidence Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 124) — for provincial court matters. Unlike the United States, where notarization standards vary widely, Canadian affidavits must be sworn or affirmed before a specific class of authorized officials: a commissioner of oaths, a notary public, or a lawyer (barrister and solicitor) licensed in the relevant province.

The jurat — the clause at the end of the affidavit confirming where, when, and before whom the oath was administered — is a mandatory component. Without a properly completed jurat, the affidavit is not valid and will be rejected by courts and administrative bodies.

A Canadian Affidavit is needed when filing court applications or motions in civil litigation, as Canadian courts (particularly in Ontario under the Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 4.06, and in BC under the Supreme Court Civil Rules, Rule 22-2) routinely require evidence to be submitted by affidavit rather than oral testimony during interlocutory proceedings.

Immigration applications to IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) frequently require affidavits to support sponsorship applications, refugee claims, and proof of relationship or identity. Estate and probate matters require affidavits of execution for wills, affidavits of estate trustees, and affidavits for small estate certificates under simplified probate procedures.

Business transactions use affidavits for statutory declarations required by the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) and provincial corporations acts, corporate name searches, and compliance filings. Real estate transactions require affidavits of residence for land transfer tax purposes, affidavits of value for property assessments, and title affidavits.

Failing to provide a properly sworn affidavit when required can result in the dismissal of court applications, rejection of administrative filings, and delays in business transactions. An affidavit that contains inaccurate information — even unintentionally — can be challenged by the opposing party and may result in the deponent being cross-examined on the contents.

A valid Canadian Affidavit must begin with a title block identifying the court, tribunal, or matter for which it is being prepared, followed by the heading identifying the parties (if applicable). The deponent's full legal name, address, and occupation must be stated, along with a declaration of the capacity in which the deponent is making the affidavit (personal knowledge, officer of a corporation, etc.).

The body of the affidavit consists of numbered paragraphs, each containing a single statement of fact. Statements must be based on the deponent's personal knowledge — hearsay (information learned from others) must be clearly identified as such, with the source named, and the deponent must state that they believe the hearsay information to be true. Under Ontario's Rules of Civil Procedure (Rule 39.01(4)), affidavits used on motions may contain hearsay if the source is specified, but trial affidavits generally may not.

Exhibits (documents referenced in the affidavit) must be attached and identified by exhibit letters, with each exhibit stamped and signed by the commissioner before whom the affidavit is sworn. The jurat must include the date, the city and province where the oath was administered, the deponent's signature, and the signature and seal of the administering official.

For affidavits sworn in Quebec, note that the Civil Code of Quebec (Code civil du Quebec) applies rather than common law rules — the format and requirements differ slightly, and the document may need to be in French if filed in a Quebec court. Both the deponent and the administering official must sign the affidavit, and any alterations must be initialed by both parties.