A Revocation of Power of Attorney is a formal legal document by which a Grantor (the person who originally granted the Power of Attorney) cancels and terminates the authority previously given to an Attorney (agent) to act on the Grantor’s behalf. In Canada, the right to revoke a Power of Attorney is a fundamental principle of agency law: the authority granted under a POA exists only at the Grantor’s pleasure and can be withdrawn at any time, provided the Grantor has the mental capacity to do so.

Canadian Power of Attorney law is governed by provincial legislation. In Ontario, the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 (S.O. 1992, c. 30) governs both Continuing Powers of Attorney for Property (Part I) and Powers of Attorney for Personal Care (Part II). Section 12 of the SDA provides that a Continuing Power of Attorney for Property may be revoked by executing a revocation in the same manner as the original POA (i.e., in writing, signed by the Grantor, and witnessed by two adults). Section 47 addresses revocation of a POA for Personal Care. In British Columbia, the Power of Attorney Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 370) governs revocation in section 28, providing that a change or revocation is effective when the Attorney receives notice. In Alberta, the Powers of Attorney Act (R.S.A. 2000, c. P-20) permits revocation under section 14 by written instrument executed by the donor.

A critical aspect of revoking a POA is the requirement to provide actual notice. Unlike a Will, which is automatically effective upon death, a revocation of POA only takes effect against the Attorney upon receipt of notice. There is no central POA registry in Canada, so the Grantor must independently notify the Attorney, all alternate Attorneys, and every third party (banks, investment firms, insurers, government agencies, real estate registries) who may have a copy of or have relied upon the original POA. Failure to provide proper notice can result in the former Attorney continuing to act on the Grantor’s behalf, and third parties who deal with the Attorney in good faith are generally protected under provincial legislation.

A Revocation of Power of Attorney is needed whenever you want to terminate the authority of an Attorney who was previously appointed to act on your behalf. The most common situations include: the relationship between the Grantor and the Attorney has deteriorated (divorce, separation, or breakdown of trust); the Grantor suspects the Attorney of mismanaging their affairs or acting contrary to their best interests; the Attorney has moved away or is no longer practically able to serve; the Grantor wishes to appoint a different Attorney who is better suited to manage their affairs; or the circumstances under which the POA was granted have changed.

Revoking a POA is particularly urgent if there are concerns about financial abuse or mismanagement. Elder financial abuse through misuse of a Power of Attorney is a serious and growing problem in Canada. The Attorney owes fiduciary duties to the Grantor, including the duty to act honestly, in good faith, and in the Grantor’s best interests (Ontario SDA s. 32, s. 66). If these duties are breached, revocation should be pursued immediately, and the Grantor may also wish to pursue legal action to recover misappropriated funds.

You should also execute a Revocation when you are creating a new Power of Attorney to replace the old one. While executing a new POA does not automatically revoke all prior POAs in every province, best practice is to execute a formal Revocation alongside the new POA to avoid any ambiguity. In Ontario, executing a new Continuing Power of Attorney for Property revokes any prior Continuing POA for Property (SDA s. 12(2)), but this automatic revocation does not extend to General POAs or to situations where the new POA is a different type. A formal Revocation ensures clean termination of all prior authority.

A legally effective Canadian Revocation of Power of Attorney must include several critical elements. First, a clear identification of the Grantor by full legal name and current address, along with a declaration that the Grantor has the mental capacity to understand the nature and effect of the Revocation and is acting freely and voluntarily. Capacity is a threshold requirement: if the Grantor lacks capacity, the Revocation is void, and the only remedy is a court application under the provincial legislation (e.g., Ontario SDA s. 42 or s. 62).

Second, the Revocation must precisely identify the Power of Attorney being revoked. This includes the type of POA (Continuing POA for Property, POA for Personal Care, or General POA), the date the original POA was executed, and the name and address of the Attorney whose authority is being terminated. If the original POA named an alternate Attorney, the Revocation should address whether the alternate’s authority is also being revoked.

Third, the Revocation must include a clear statement that all authority previously granted under the identified POA is revoked, cancelled, and terminated as of the specified date. It should also address the protection of prior acts (transactions lawfully completed by the Attorney before receiving notice of the Revocation remain valid) and the protection of third parties who dealt with the Attorney in good faith.

Fourth, the document must include provisions for notice. The Revocation must be delivered to the Attorney and to all third parties who may have relied on the original POA. If the original POA was registered against real property at a Land Registry Office or Land Titles Office, the Revocation should also be registered. Fifth, witness attestation is required in most provinces: two adult witnesses who are not the Grantor’s spouse, partner, child, Attorney, or alternate Attorney. The witnesses should attest that the Grantor signed freely and voluntarily with capacity to understand the nature and effect of the Revocation.