This paper describes the results of study on major factors influencing time-dependent deformation behaviour of swelling shales. The study was carried out by analyzing all the swell test results available for shales from southern Ontario. Major factors studied are (1) the presence of ambient water, (2) calcite content and (3) the applied stress. The results of the study on seven shales show that the swelling of shale is associated with the formation of cracks and the absorption of water in these cracks. The magnitude of swelling potential is related linearly to the amount of absorbed water. The presence of calcite inhibits the swelling of shales studied, reducing the swelling to zero at about 30% of calcite content. All the shales studied exhibit the stress-dependent swelling behaviour, though there Is a difference in the degree of dependency.