COVID 19: Practical Considerations For Your Litigation, From Coast To Coast

This post was originally published March 20, 2020 and was last updated on June 16, 2020 to reflect developments at the Federal Court of Appeal and at the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Courts across Canada have weighed the seriousness of the situation and the importance of prioritizing the health and safety of all court participants, with the principles of open courts and timely access to justice. This balancing exercise resulted in the implementation of a wide range of preventative measures that will help minimizing the spread of the COVID-19 virus across Canada, while allowing the Courts to hear urgent or essential matters during the outbreak. In brief, Canadian Courts have restricted access, suspended or limited their operations, and have consequently suspended prescription or limitation periods, as the case may be.