One of the most common ways of appearing before a court in British Columbia is undergoing a significant change.
Applications are the method by which most court attendances are addressed other than trials. Effective October 1, 2026, the procedure for bringing applications1 will change fundamentally.
On June 26, 2026, the Lieutenant Governor in Council approved2an amendment to the Supreme Court Civil Rules3 (“SCCR”), the Supreme Court Family Rules4 (“SCFR”) and the Tax Appeals Regulation5 to change how applications will be brought before the court.
The most significant change to the SCCR is the introduction of a new “serve and file” procedure for chambers applications, which replaces the current “file and serve” approach. Under the new “serve and file” approach, parties must exchange application materials before setting an application for hearing and before filing materials.