Domestic partnership in Nova Scotia
# Domestic partnership in Nova Scotia

Part of the LGBT rights series :

Legal status of same-sex unions :

Marriage

Andorra

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica

Cuba

Denmark

Ecuador

Estonia*

Finland

France

Germany

Iceland

Ireland

Luxembourg

Malta

Mexico

$Netherlands^1$

New $Zealand^2$

Norway

Portugal

Slovenia

South Africa

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Taiwan

United $Kingdom^3$

United $States^4$

Uruguay :

Civil unions and registered partnerships

Bolivia

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Greece

Hungary

Italy

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Netherlands:

  • Aruba

San Marino

United Kingdom:

  • Bermuda

  • Cayman Islands :

Common-law marriage

$Israel^5$ :

Minimal recognition

$Bulgaria^6$

Cambodia:

  • 68 communes

$China^7$

$India:^8$

  • Chandigarh

  • Gujarat

  • Haryana

  • Kerala

  • Odisha

  • Punjab

  • Tamil Nadu

  • Uttarakhand

$Japan^9$

$Lithuania^6$

$Namibia^{10}$

$Netherlands:^2$

  • Curaçao

  • St Maarten

$Poland^6$

$Romania^{12}$

$Slovakia^6$ :

See also

Same-sex union legislation

Same-sex union court cases

Timeline of same-sex marriage

Recognition of same-sex unions in Africa

Recognition of same-sex unions in Asia

Recognition of same-sex unions in Europe

Recognition of same-sex unions in the Americas

Recognition of same-sex unions in Oceania

Marriage privatization

Divorce of same-sex couples

Domestic partnership

Military policy

Adoption

Listings by country

LGBT rights by country or territory :

Notes

Performed in the Netherlands proper, including the Caribbean Netherlands. Registered in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten in such cases, but the rights of marriage are not guaranteed.

Neither performed nor recognized in Niue, Tokelau, or the Cook Islands.

Neither performed nor recognized in six British Overseas Territories.

Neither performed nor recognized in some tribal nations. Recognized but not performed in several other tribal nations and American Samoa.

Cohabitation. Registered foreign marriages confer limited rights. Marriage recognized in some cities.

The Coman v. Romania ruling of the European Court of Justice obliges the state to provide residency rights for the foreign spouses of EU citizens.

Legal guardianships (nationwide, except Hong Kong and Macau), residency rights for foreign spouses of legal residents (Hong Kong).

Unregistered cohabitation or Maitri karar–type contractual relationships, but they are not legally binding.

Some cities and prefectures issue partnership certificates, though not legally formalized.

Marriages conducted abroad between a Namibian national and a foreign spouse recognized for residency rights

Hospital visitation rights through a "legal representative" status

* Not yet in effect :

LGBT portal :

vte :

Since June 4, 2001, the Canadian province of Nova Scotia has offered Domestic partnership registration to unmarried couples, both same-sex and different-sex, thereby entitling them to some, but not all, of the rights and benefits of marriage.

## Legislation

In the previous year, the General Assembly passed the Law Reform (2000) Act, the full title of which is "An Act to Comply with Certain Court Decisions and to Modernize and Reform Laws in the Province." The act was passed in the wake of the landmark decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of M. v. H. on May 19, 1999.

In the first six months after the law came into effect, only 94 domestic partnerships were registered, in contrast to about 5500 marriages per year in the province. Of the 94 partnerships, 83 (88%) were same-sex couples.

## Rights and Benefits

At the time the 2000 act was passed, domestic partners who registered with the provincial authorities were entitled to the same rights and obligations as spouses under the following laws:

* the Fatal Injuries Act
* the Health Act
* the Hospitals Act
* the Insurance Act
* the Intestate Succession Act
* the Maintenance and Custody Act
* the Matrimonial Property Act
* the Members' Retiring Allowances Act
* the Pension Benefits Act
* the Probate Act
* the Provincial Court Act
* or as a widow or widower under the Testators' Family Maintenance Act

## Registration

Unmarried adults over age 19 in a conjugal relationship, not party to another domestic partnership, who live in Nova Scotia or own property there may file a declaration of domestic partnership with the Nova Scotia Vital Statistics Agency. By registering, the couple immediately gains the family court legal recognition, rights and benefits available to common law spouses under provincial law.

## Termination

Domestic partnerships in Nova Scotia may be terminated in one of the following ways:

* both parties jointly file a Statement of Termination with Vital Statistics
* one party files an affidavit with Vital Statistics that the couple have lived separate and apart for more than a year
* the parties enter into a separation agreement pursuant to the Maintenance and Custody Act and file proof of such an agreement with Vital Statistics
* one of the parties files with Vital Statistics proof of marriage to a third party, which automatically ends the domestic partnership
