"Schedule C" May Increase After Seventeen Years

The costs a successful litigant is entitled to recover from an unsuccessful party is governed by "Division 2 – The Tariff: Schedule C" of the Alberta Rules of Court, Alta Reg 124/ 2010.  Schedule C, and the costs a party is entitled to recovery for steps taken in an action, have not been adjusted since 1998.  The Rules of Court Committee recently released its recommendations for amendments to Schedule C and the costs awarded during and after litigation.  The Committee noted that there was a broad consensus amongst interested parties who provided feedback that Column C should be increased.  An increase of 35% was recommended by the Committee to account for inflation.  It was further recommended that Schedule C be reviewed and increased every three years to adjust for inflation.