A regulation is a rule that indicates how a statute is to be enforced. These forms of laws never exist on their own and are created by the Minister or Governor in Council to support legislation.

The Statutory Instruments Act (R.S., 1985, C. S-22) defines the term regulations and establishes the basic legal process the federal government must follow when developing regulations:

"To be a regulation, an instrument must be:

• a statutory instrument that is made in the exercise of a legislative power conferred by or under an Act of Parliament
• a statutory instrument for the contravention of which a penalty, fine or imprisonment is prescribed by or under an Act of Parliament
• a rule, order or regulation governing the practice or procedure in any proceeding before a judicial or quasi-judicial body established by or under an Act of Parliament
• an instrument described as a regulation in any Act of Parliament."