News and Announcements

The Court of Appeal of Alberta, the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta and the Provincial Court of Alberta (the Courts) have a responsibility to provide a safe workspace that protects the health and safety of individuals who work in, visit, or attend the Courts’ workspaces. Accordingly, the Courts have adopted mandatory Vaccination Policies which will be in effect as of Tuesday, September 21, 2021. These Policies apply to all secure areas of courthouses used by judicial officers and certain staff to which public access is restricted. Full details are included in the attached notice.

The Government of Canada recently passed legislation to make September 30 a federal statutory holiday called the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This is an important step in the truth and reconciliation process. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity to recognize and commemorate the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools and to honour their survivors, their families and communities.

The Honourable Justice L. Bernette Ho, a Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta in Calgary, is appointed a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Alberta to replace Justice J.D.B. McDonald who elected supernumerary judge effective August 31, 2018. The Honourable Justice Anne Kirker, a Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta in Calgary, is appointed a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Alberta to replace Justice B.K. O’Ferrall who elected supernumerary judge effective March 3, 2021.

Effective November 1, 2021, the Court of Appeal will resume in-person proceedings for all appeal sittings and applications before three-judge panels. Full details are included in the attached notice.

Access to all courthouses in Alberta will continue to be restricted in accordance with the Courts’ Notice dated November 27, 2020 until further notice. The mask requirements set out in the Courts’ Notice dated July 3, 2020 will continue to apply to individuals attending at courthouses, subject to the exceptions noted therein. Anyone claiming a medical or disability exemption from the masking requirement must provide proof thereof. For those who do not have a face mask, one can be obtained from perimeter security at the entrance to the courthouse. All current protocols relating to physical distancing and courtroom capacity will continue until further notice.

In light of the ongoing public health crisis caused by the pandemic, access to all courthouses in Alberta continues to be restricted, and masks continue to be mandatory for visitors. Full details are included in the attached notices.

The 2022 Court of Appeal sitting dates are now available. Details and the list of dates are included in this notice.

On behalf of the Alberta judiciary, we applaud the lawyers and law students for their bravery in sharing their experiences of racial discrimination as part of the “My Experience” Project. The experiences related contain uncomfortable but compelling truths. They put a face on bias, unconscious or otherwise, and the harmful consequences flowing from it. And they bring home to the judiciary the leadership role we must play to ensure that the justice system in this province mirrors the fair and equal treatment of all so vital to our democracy.

Alberta Chief Justice Catherine A. Fraser's message on the March 29, 2021, announcement by the Government of Alberta that Budget 2021 includes $57.3 million to construct a new, state-of-the-art Court of Appeal building in the Calgary courts precinct. The project will also revise and incorporate the city's 107-year-old historic Court of Appeal Building. In addition to commenting on the benefits of the project for the province, the Chief Justice touches on the history of the old building and it's significance to the Court and the city.

Effective March 15, 2021, the Court of Appeal of Alberta Practice Direction on Electronic Filling is amended. Details of the amendments are included in this notice.

On March 1 2021, e-filing will become mandatory. Effective that date, all documents, including correspondence, must be formatted in accordance with the Practice Direction on Electronic Filing and filed via the Court of Appeal Management System (CAMS). Unless an exemption from e-filing is granted, paper documents at the counter and documents via email will not be accepted.

Effective December 14, 2020, amendments were made to Part 16 of the Alberta Rules of Court, the Court of Appeal of Alberta Criminal Appeal Rules, including a new Release Order relating to judicial interim release pending appeal.

The decision to hold oral arguments electronically during the pandemic has highlighted a challenge during submissions when counsel and self-represented litigants refer the panel to materials in the record before the Court. As a result, commencing February 1, 2021, parties will have the option of filing a Condensed Book as an aid to assist in oral argument in both civil and criminal appeals.

The 2021 Court of Appeal sitting dates have been revised. Details and the new list of dates are included in this notice.

The current agreement between the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees includes a provision for Christmas closure. The Court of Appeal of Alberta will be closed on December 24, 2020 through January 1, 2021. On December 29, 30 and 31, 2020 the Court of Appeal will hear only emergency applications. Any material that would ordinarily be filed on those days can be filed on January 4, 2021. Should an emergency matter need to be heard, parties may contact 780-643-1137 and the appropriate arrangements will be made to hear the matter.

The Alberta Courts are attempting to balance the open court principle with public health priorities. Given the ongoing public health crisis, the Courts are continuing to take proactive preventative measures to protect justice system participants and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Access to all courthouses in the province of Alberta continues to be restricted until further notice.

The purpose of this Notice is to advise that, unless otherwise directed, all proceedings will continue to be heard electronically by videoconference until further notice.

Canadian Lawyer spoke to a member of the Calgary bar about the Alberta Court of Appeal's new public portal of its digital case management system (CAMS) and how the portal is helping make the appeal process more accessible. The online tool, which officially launched on August 31, 2020, allows lawyers and self-represented litigants to file case materials electronically through the court's website as well as have access to information about their appeals. Also included in the article is a link to Chief Justice Catherine A. Fraser's video announcing the portal's launch.

Alberta Chief Justice Catherine A. Fraser unveils the public portal of the Court's digital case management system, CAMS, which allows counsel and self-represented litigants to file documents electronically and access all of their case materials and information about their appeals online. The Chief Justice also discusses the history of the CAMS project, its importance to the Court’s goal of fully digitizing its operations and how the new system is helping to improve the delivery of justice.

On August 31, 2020, the Court of Appeal will launch the public portal of its digital Court of Appeal Management System (CAMS). Starting Monday, in addition to filing materials electronically, counsel and self-represented litigants will have online access to all of their case materials and can retrieve other information about their appeals including the full text of all filed documents, deadlines, hearing dates, outcomes and more. CAMS already enables judges and court staff to access and work with all court files electronically.