Canada's 13 provinces function as the primary level of subnational government, exercising substantial constitutional powers under the federal system. Provinces maintain jurisdiction over critical areas including education, healthcare, natural resources, property and civil rights, and municipal institutions. Each province operates its own legislature and has the authority to levy direct taxes, manage provincial lands, and administer justice through provincial courts. This division of powers, established in the Constitution Act of 1867, makes provinces significantly more autonomous than mere administrative regions, with some possessing distinct legal systems, such as Quebec's civil law tradition. Provincial governments deliver most public services that directly affect citizens' daily lives and frequently negotiate with the federal government on matters of shared jurisdiction.