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, effective May 10, 2021 and for the weeks of May 10, 2021, May 17, 2021, and May 24, 2021, and subject to any further adjustments that may be required:
1. Continuations
All trials (including jury trials at our courthouses or external facilities) and any other in-person matters currently in progress will continue until they are concluded.
2. New In-Person Matters
All in-person criminal trials and matters (including jury trials), civil, commercial, surrogate and family matters will be adjourned except for the following:
- scheduled in-custody accused criminal matters (including jury trials and pre-trial motions/voir dires) and sentencings;
- scheduled Emergency Protection Order and Restraining Order Viva Voce Hearings; and
- scheduled matters involving unusual and urgent circumstances, on application to CJ Moreau (Northern Regional Centres), ACJ Rooke (Calgary/South) or ACJ Nielsen (Edmonton/Red Deer) or their designates, for reinstatement of the in-person trial or hearing.
Subject to the above exceptions all matters will be adjourned pursuant to a further Master Order. All civil, commercial, family and surrogate in-person matters will be adjourned sine die. All criminal matters will be adjourned to a date certain in the appropriate Criminal Appearance Court/Arraignment Court.
3. Remote Matters
Matters currently being heard remotely in all Judicial Centres will continue.
4. Process for Conducting Matters
All files or other matters which are directed to proceed in person will be conducted at the courthouses or off-site jury facilities. Applications to reinstate in-person matters involving unusual and urgent circumstances are to be directed to the following email coordinates: for CJ Moreau: ginette.goldenberg@albertacourts.ca; for ACJ Rooke: paula.safadi@albertacourts.ca; for ACJ Nielsen: patricia.amer@albertacourts.ca
All other matters are to be conducted remotely via Webex or telephone and courtrooms will not be accessible in-person for these matters. The necessary Webex information or telephone information will be provided to counsel/parties to attend the proceedings remotely.
5. Masters Matters
As all Masters have been conducting matters remotely for some time, all matters in Masters Chambers, including Bankruptcy and Masters Special Chambers applications will continue to be heard remotely with no in-person attendances.
6. Master Order #5
The further Master Order adjourning in-person matters will be posted to the Court of Queen’s Bench website as soon as possible.
We will continue to circulate further information on our Court's operations as necessary.