Provincial Court Expected To Increase Financial Limits

It is anticipated that the financial limit in Provincial Court will increase from $25,000 to $50,000 on August 1, 2014.

The expected increase should make it more economical for persons to advance claims for $25,000-$50,000, which exceed the Provincial Court's current jurisdiction, but are often not substantial enough to offset the additional costs associated with hiring a lawyer and advancing the action in the Court of Queen's Bench.

Until the regulations are amended, it is business as usual for claims $25,000 and below. But for those claims that are above $25,000, you have three options:

• you can file a Civil Claim in Provincial Court, and in doing so, abandon the portion of your claim which exceeds the $25,000 financial limit;