Provinces are listed in the order in which they entered Confederation, unless a different order is required by the context. The territories are listed after the provinces.
Although the Northwest Territories were created before the Yukon Territory, the tradition has been to list the Yukon Territory first, following the order in paragraph 32(1)(a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Below is the correct order of provinces and territories, and their abbreviations.[1]
| Province/Territory | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Ontario | Ont. |
| Quebec | Que. |
| Nova Scotia | N.S. |
| New Brunswick | N.B. |
| Manitoba | Man. |
| British Columbia | B.C. |
| Prince Edward Island | P.E.I. |
| Saskatchewan | Sask. |
| Alberta | Alta. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | N.L. |
| Yukon Territory | Y.T. |
| Northwest Territories | N.W.T. |
| Nunavut | Nvt. |
Footnote
[1] See Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) 2006, Statistics Canada.