COVID-19 Announcements Archive

Further to the Court's Announcement of May 5, 2021, the Court is taking additional steps to reduce in-person attendance at courthouses for the period of May 10 to May 28, 2021, per Master Order #5. / À la suite de l'annonce de la Cour faite le 5 mai 2021, la Cour prend des mesures supplémentaires afin de réduire la présence en personne dans les palais de justice pour la période du 10 mai au 28 mai 2021, et ce, conformément à l'ordonnance directrice No 5.

On May 4, 2021, the Alberta Government announced Province-wide restrictions to protect the health system and slow the spread of COVID-19. In light of the increasing case counts, rise in variants, the ongoing risk to Justice participants, and the increased difficulties in having counsel, parties and witnesses attend in Court, restrictions are now in place for the weeks of May 10, 2021, May 17, 2021, and May 24, 2021.

With the increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 in the Province of Alberta, the Court is extending and expanding its efforts to minimize traffic at all courthouses.

On April 6, 2021, the Province of Alberta and the Chief Medical Officer of Health put in place additional measures to protect the health system and to reduce the rising spread of COVID-19. The Court will hear all matters currently booked, but will continue its efforts to minimize traffic at all courthouses.

Based on the current state of the pandemic, it has been determined that it is possible to proceed with all matters currently scheduled in the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta for the week of February 1, 2021 and subsequent weeks. For further details, please refer to the full announcement.

It has been determined that it is possible to proceed with all matters currently scheduled in the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta for the weeks of January 18 and January 25, 2021. Counsel and parties are advised to be aware of the following, in respect of hearings scheduled for those weeks.

In response to the State of Public Health Emergency declared by the Government on November 24, 2020, the increase in active COVID-19 cases in the Province of Alberta, and the current and anticipated numbers of legal system participants, including Court staff, who may be unable to participate for COVID-19 related reasons, the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta is announcing the following modifications to its schedule for the week of January 4 and 11, 2021. Further announcements in respect of the subsequent weeks may follow.

Effective immediately and until January 4, 2021, due to staffing shortages, the Edmonton Review Office will be closed for administrative inquiries (i.e. in-person/telephone/email inquiries and new bookings). All previously scheduled hearings with the Edmonton Review Officer will proceed during this time. If you wish to adjourn or cancel an upcoming hearing that is already scheduled, please email Dennis.Pawlowski@albertacourts.ca.

In response to the State of Public Health Emergency declared by the Government on November 24, 2020, the increase in active COVID-19 cases in the Province of Alberta, and the current and anticipated numbers of legal system participants, including Court staff, who may be unable to participate for COVID-19 related reasons, the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta is announcing the following modifications to its schedule for the week of December 14, 2020. Further announcements in respect of the subsequent weeks may follow.

In response to the State of Public Health Emergency declared by the Government on November 24, 2020, the increase in active COVID-19 cases in the Province of Alberta, and the current and anticipated numbers of legal system participants, including Court staff, who may be unable to participate for COVID-19 related reasons, the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta is announcing the following modifications to its schedule for the week of December 7, 2020. Further announcements in respect of the subsequent weeks may follow.

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.

In response to the State of Public Health Emergency declared by the Government on November 24, 2020, the increase in active COVID-19 cases in the Province of Alberta, and the current and anticipated numbers of legal system participants, including Court staff, who may be unable to participate for COVID-19 related reasons, the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta is announcing the following modifications to its schedule for the week of November 30. Further announcements in respect of the subsequent weeks may follow.

Effective immediately and until December 7, 2020, due to staffing shortages, the Edmonton Review Office will be closed for administrative inquiries (i.e. in-person/telephone/email inquiries and new bookings). All previously scheduled hearings with the Edmonton Review Officer will proceed during this time. If you wish to adjourn or cancel an upcoming hearing that is already scheduled, please email Dennis.Pawlowski@albertacourts.ca.

The Court of Queen's Bench will resume scheduling Civil, Family and Commercial Trials and full day specials between January 4, 2021 and July 2, 2021. To request a Family, Civil or Commercial trial or full day special, you must complete the Family, Civil and Commercial Triage Form in full.

Court of Queen's Bench Administration has extended the cap on email filing fees until January 31, 2021. In addition to regular filing fees, documents that are filed via email will be charged at the rate of $1 per page, capped to a maximum of $20. The Court of Queen's Bench has extended the suspension of Rule 13.41(4) under Master Order #4 to January 31, 2021.

Jury selection and jury trials, paused since the March 15, 2020, suspension of regular Court operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are scheduled to resume in off-site locations throughout the province, with the first jury selections having been conducted this morning in Edmonton for jury trials commencing on September 14, 2020. The first scheduled jury trial in Calgary is slated to start on September 28, 2020.

Commercing September 8, 2020, all matters with viva voce evidence including criminal, family and civil trials will be heard entirely in person in COVID-safe courtrooms. If any remote witnesses or video conference testimony is required, the exact date and times of the testimony must be scheduled with the appropriate Court Coordinator at least two weeks in advance. This is subject to resource availability. Remote testimony must still be approved by the presiding Justice but needs to be arranged in advance.

The Court is extending the Trial Triage Booking Announcement into the Fall Sitting from September 8 to December 18, 2020 for Family, Civil and Commercial short trials and full day specials . Priority will continue to be given to matters scheduled to be heard between March 16 and June 26, 2020, and adjourned pursuant to the Court’s Master Orders due to the pandemic.In Edmonton, additional priority will be given to urgent trials, as there are fewer available slots.

Criminal jury selections and jury trials will resume at the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta, effective September 8, 2020. To ensure the safety of everyone involved, jury selections and jury trials will be, for the most part, be held offsite, in twelve locations across Alberta.

Effective immediately and until August 17, 2020, due to staffing shortages, the Edmonton Review Office will be closed for administrative inquiries (i.e. in-person/telephone/email inquiries and new bookings)

With the relaunch of Court sittings province-wide, the Emergency/Urgent Hearing Request process is now suspended. All parties are directed to the Court's Remote Regular (morning) Chambers announcement to schedule a Chambers application.

While the Announcement of May 22, 2020 related to slots being made available for short (5 days or less) judge alone Criminal trials, in the event the available trial slots are not filled, the Court will offer these slots to Summary Conviction Appeals for Criminal Code offences, short Family, Civil and Commercial trials or other Family, Civil and Commercial matters via Webex video and in-person, in COVID-safe courtrooms. Priority will be given to Summary Conviction Appeals, Family, Civil and Commercial trials and matters scheduled to be heard between March 16 and June 26, 2020, and adjourned pursuant to the Court’s Master Orders due to the pandemic.

To enhance safe access to Alberta courthouses, effective July 6, 2020, all persons entering a courthouse in Alberta shall be required to wear a face mask while in any public area of the courthouse subject to the exceptions outlined in this announcement.

Court of Queen's Bench Administration has extended the cap on email and fax filing fees until September 30, 2020. In addition to regular filing fees, documents that are filed via email or fax will be charged at the rate of $1 per page, capped to a maximum of $20. The Court of Queen’s Bench has extended the suspension of Rule 13.41(4) under Master Order #4 to September 30, 2020. ​

The Court of Queen’s Bench will resume Criminal Appearance Court (“CAC”) province wide commencing June 5, 2020 via Webex with regular CAC dates listed in the Court Calendar and those added in the Master Orders. Booking priority will be given on CAC lists in June to September 4, 2020 to in-custody matters, trials that were Jordan-threatened prior to the pandemic and trial adjournments from March 16 to June 26, 2020.