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commas in geographical names and addresses

Use a comma to separate a place name from a date:

  • Hull, February 13

Similarly, a comma separates a place name from the name of a province or the abbreviation for that province, and the province’s name or abbreviation is normally followed by a comma within the body of a sentence or sentence equivalent:

  • Swift Current, Saskatchewan, has applied to host the event.
  • We arrived at Corner Brook, N.L., the following day.

Use commas to separate address components, as illustrated:

  • The parcel must be delivered to 340 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0P8, within two business days.

Note that the postal code is followed, but not preceded, by a comma when the address forms part of a sentence.