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Lawyers in Canada: official counts by provincial or territorial law society
Canada has no national bar: there are 14 provincial and territorial law societies, whose numbers the Federation of Law Societies consolidates. The 2022 report recorded 110,619 active members overall, including a quirk that exists only there: in civil law Quebec, notaries form their own order and are counted alongside the Barreau's advocates.
The 14 largest regional registers (2022)
| # | Provincial or territorial law society | Lawyers | % of total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ontario | 45,729 | 41.3% |
| 2 | Quebec (Barreau du Québec) | 29,185 | 26.4% |
| 3 | British Columbia | 13,941 | 12.6% |
| 4 | Alberta | 11,199 | 10.1% |
| 5 | Quebec (Chambre des notaires) | 3,853 | 3.5% |
| 6 | Manitoba | 2,279 | 2.1% |
| 7 | Nova Scotia | 2,238 | 2.0% |
| 8 | Saskatchewan | 2,120 | 1.9% |
| 9 | New Brunswick | 1,450 | 1.3% |
| 10 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 812 | 0.7% |
| 11 | Northwest Territories | 464 | 0.4% |
| 12 | Yukon | 424 | 0.4% |
| 13 | Prince Edward Island | 421 | 0.4% |
| 14 | Nunavut | 357 | 0.3% |
The federation itself warns that law societies do not collect data the same way, so the rows do not add up to the published national total.
Ontario in the lead and Quebec split into two professions
The Law Society of Ontario, which regulates lawyering in Toronto and the rest of the province, had 45,729 active members, 41.3% of the Canadian total. Quebec follows, adding up 33,038 jurists between the Barreau (29,185 advocates) and the Chambre des notaires (3,853 notaries). The three northern territories combined stay under 1,300 professionals.
One reading caution: the federation itself warns that each law society collects data its own way, which is why the table rows add up to more than the consolidated national total it publishes. We kept both numbers as they appear in the source. On the population yardstick, Canada lands at 275.9 professionals per 100k residents, between England and Germany.
Source and method
Data: Federation of Law Societies of Canada, Federation Statistics Report 2022 (Total Active/Practicing Membership row). Coverage: active members of the provincial and territorial law societies (includes Quebec notaries). Terms of use: FLSC copyright; this page transcribes numeric facts (counts) only, with attribution. Population ratios use the 2023 estimates cited in the comparative collection page.
An active registration does not mean the professional currently practices: part of the roll does not work as a lawyer day to day. This page publishes aggregate counts per provincial or territorial law society only, never individual professional records.
Last updated: · Methodology and sources