Canadian, British, and American Spelling

Canadian spelling can be confusing as the general rules are based on British spelling, but with some American variations thrown in. When in doubt, I usually use British spelling or check my (now aging) edition of the Canadian Press Stylebook. But the most useful resource is the website Canadian, Britsh and American Spelling.

This is mainly a resource for orthographically-challenged Canadians, although others may find it useful too.

As in most matters, Canadian spelling is somewhere on that ill-defined continuum between British and American practices. Also as in most matters, Canadian spelling is a little more flexible than either British or American spelling. While, in general, it is closer to the British, the American variant is sometimes preferred, and often either would be considered acceptable (although the British is still usually considered “more correct”).

It can even be argued that there is a regional bias within Canada: in general terms, Ontario, British Columbia and Newfoundland are usually closer to the British usage, and Alberta and the Prairie provinces closer to the American.

Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans tend to stick much more closely with the original British spelling, but Canada is much more swayed by its powerful neighbour to the south. As the influence of the heavily America-centric Internet increases we may see still further inclination towards American practices.

You can look at a list of general rules, search for words, or browse an alphabetic listing. Its design is very 1990s, but it's easy to use and useful. I've been using it for a long time and will continue to do so.