January 2021 - Rules Amending the Rules of the Supreme Court of Canada

The Rules Amending the Rules of the Supreme Court of Canada, SOR/2020-281, were published in Part II of the Canada Gazette on January 6, 2021. These amendments, which come into force on January 27, 2021, apply to all cases, including filings as of that date in any ongoing cases.

The amendments will, amongst other things, simplify the leave application process. With these amendments, an application for leave to appeal will consist of the notice of application, lower court decisions and memorandum of argument only. This new process will also facilitate the electronic filing of leave application materials. Service requirements for the electronic versions of these materials will be less stringent. The number of print copies required will also be reduced.

The amendments are further explained in a guide available at www.scc-csc.ca. The Guidelines for Preparing Documents to be Filed with the Supreme Court of Canada (Print and Electronic) have been updated to reflect these amendments and are also available on the SCC Website. 

For further information, please contact the Registry by email at registry-greffe@scc-csc.ca.

David Power
Acting Registrar

January 2021