Toronto ? Nearly two dozen homosexual couples applied for marriage licenses Wednesday, taking advantage of a court ruling that led to Canada’s first legal same-sex wedding the day before.

City spokesman Brad Ross said 18 of the couples were from Toronto and the rest from southern Ontario.

Two Canadian men were married Tuesday a few hours after an Ontario appeals court ruled Canada’s ban on homosexual marriage was unconstitutional.

The Ontario attorney general said Wednesday the province would respect the court ruling, meaning marriages that follow it would be registered.

“I’m charged to follow the laws and will follow the laws with regards to this matter,” Norm Sterling said.

The appeals panel declared Canada’s legal definition of marriage invalid and ordered Toronto’s city clerk to issue marriage licenses to the homosexual couples involved in the case.

Canadian law defines marriage as a union of man and woman. Tuesday’s ruling changed it in Ontario to a union between two people.

If the federal government refrains from filing an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, the Ontario ruling becomes the law of the land. Justice Minister Martin Cauchon said Wednesday he needs time to study the Tuesday ruling before deciding whether to appeal.

A Parliament committee is studying the matter, and opinion polls have indicated that a slight majority of Canadians favor legalizing same-sex marriages.