Choose the Direct Link

When you are citing a web resource, provide the URL – the whole URL that links directly to the document you are referencing.

What am I talking about? As an example, when you cite a federal regulation, you identify it with the SOR number not the page  number of the issue of the Canada Gazette that the regulation came from. The URL reference should be equally as direct in my opinion.  A hyperlink or URL that points to the SOR – in this case the HTML version of the individual regulation from the Gazette website – not the PDF link for the more general Gazette issue the SOR is published in.

What does the NEW 8th edition of the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation say about online resources? It agrees with me!

Cite the full URL of the source, but exclude the http:// protocol. Include the protocol if it is anything else (for
example https://).

The McGill Guide, as this title is often referred to, is now available as an online publication hosted on WestlawNext Canada as well as being available in print and print plus online pricing formats. A screen shot of part of a download* from 8th edition, Online Resources section offers the general rules:

* Thanks to Carswell Reference Support for providing the McGill Guide 8th edition sample.