Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2024-2025 Departmental results report
The original version was signed by
The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and
Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
At a glance
This departmental results report details the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (ORSCC)’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results outlined in its 2024–25 Departmental Plan.
Vision, mission, raison d’être and operating context
Key priorities
The ORSCC identified the following key priorities for 2024-25:
- Business transformation: to ensure that the necessary business processes and technologies are in place – or are being planned – to reduce the number of documents required to be filed in paper format, to transition to electronic processes within the Court, to create an electronic filing system that allows parties, whether they are represented or not, to e-file through a secure portal, to manage and preserve Court records in electronic format, to provide the general public with better access to Court information online, and to allow effective communication with counsel and litigants through multiple and secure digital channels.
- Communications and outreach: to ensure that its communications and outreach strategies remain effective and continue to meet the evolving needs of Canadians. The Court has fully modernized its website to make it even more accessible, open and transparent. It has also been working with partners on new exhibits and other initiatives for 2025 to mark the Court’s 150th anniversary. This included a visit to Victoria in February and another in Moncton in March, providing opportunities for members of the public, students (high school and university), journalists, and the legal and judicial communities to engage with members of the Court. Next year, the Court will continue to build on the momentum of the Court’s 150th with visits to three other Canadian cities and more activities to promote a better understanding of the Court’s role and function.
- Security: to ensure the Court’s security profile which has many components, such as physical security, information technology security and business continuity planning, remains effective in mitigating security risks.
- Facilities management: upholding the safety and functionality of the aging Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) building by conducting proactive maintenance, efficient space utilization and compliance with environmental and safety regulations. Overseeing the building’s rehabilitation and preparing for the transition to the West Memorial Building in 2026.
Highlights for the ORSCC in 2024-25
- Total actual spending (including internal services): $51,321,993
- Total full-time equivalent staff (including internal services): 239
For complete information on the ORSCC’s total spending and human resources, read the Spending and human resources section of its full departmental results report.
Summary of results
The following provides a summary of the results the department achieved in 2024-25 under its main areas of activity, called “core responsibilities”.
Core responsibility: The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal
Actual spending: $34,471,429
Actual full-time equivalent staff: 150
In support of its Core Responsibility, the ORSCC’s results achieved in 2024-25 are:
- Effective case management services provided to the Court and litigants for all judicial proceedings brought to or decided by the Court.
- Maintaining effective communications strategies and continuing outreach activities to support the Court amid growing public interest and increased visibility of the Supreme Court of Canada.
- Focusing business transformation resources on the launch of the new modernized Court’s website in January 2025.
- Increasing public access to judicial information through various means of communications, including with the activities to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Court.
- Continuation of enhancements to the Court’s overall security posture both in terms of physical security and informatics, as well as to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
- Planning of the building rehabilitation and managing the pressures related to the aging building facilities.
For more information on the ORSCC’s administration of Canada’s final court of appeal read the “Results – what we achieved” section of its departmental results report.
From the Registrar
I am pleased to present the 2024–25 Departmental Results Report for the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (ORSCC). This report highlights the ORSCC’s achievements over the past fiscal year and presents the financial and human resources that were required to support the Supreme court of Canada in its important role as Canada’s final court of appeal. The Court serves Canadians by deciding legal issues of public importance which contributes to the development of all branches of law applicable in the country.
The information presented in this report also provides a straightforward and balanced account of the actual results that we strive to accomplish, while continuing to provide transparency on how taxpayers’ dollars are spent. We also describe our programs and services for Canadians, our achievements in 2024–25, and how our work has met our organizational priorities. I am proud that our team, once again, provided quality, responsive services to the Court and to Canadians.
In addition to providing services and support to Canada’s final court of appeal to process, hear and decide cases, the ORSCC also plays a central role in communications and outreach. The environment and context in which the Court manages and decides cases is continuously evolving, which in turn produces new risks and challenges. Supporting the Court hearings in a safe and effective manner has and remains a top priority.
As we continued to focus on the processing and management of cases brought to the Court over the last year, the ORSCC continued to place a high priority on pursuing its work towards the adaptation of its business processes to an electronic environment. Efforts were also deployed to ensure the Supreme Court of Canada presence on social media in order to allow information to be made available to the public in a timely manner. The launch of our new modernized website in early 2025 is one key measure that improved the discoverability of information and enhances access to case files. Access to justice and court modernization go hand-in-hand and these initiatives support the Court’s commitment to key judicial principles of openness and transparency.
Other ongoing initiatives included further enhancements to the Court’s overall security services which is aimed to balance the safety of all participants in the judicial process, as well as the basic principles of fairness, access and openness which underpin the administration of justice.
Additionally, in order to meet the pressures relating to the aging Court building and operational facilities, significant time and resources have been (and will continue to be) dedicated to planning for the rehabilitation initiative of the Supreme Court of Canada Building and the move to the West Memorial Building planned for 2026.
As we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada in 2025, it has become increasingly evident that the role the Court has played over the last century and a half has been central in the development of Canada’s law and judicial excellence. We are therefore very committed and proud to be able to support the myriad of communications and outreach activities planned throughout this anniversary year and support the Court in continuing its legacy and fostering access to justice and judicial independence. The ORSCC has played a crucial role in the organization of the first two visits of the Court in Victoria, British Columbia on February 3-4, 2025 and in Moncton, New Brunswick, on March 10-11, 2025. These visits provided Canadians opportunities to engage with members of the Court and were intended to promote a better understanding of the Court’s role and function and reflect on how its decisions have shaped Canada’s legal landscape.
I would like to conclude by thanking the entire staff of the Court for their continuing hard work and enthusiasm in serving the Court and Canadians with unfailing professionalism and a dedicated sense of purpose.
Chantal Carbonneau, Registrar
Results - what we achieved
Core responsibility: The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal
Description
Provide services and support for Canada’s final court of appeal to process, hear and decide cases. Support communications and outreach to stakeholders.
Quality of life impacts
This core responsibility contributes to the ‘Good Governance’ domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada and, more specifically, ‘Confidence in institutions’, through all of the activities mentioned in the core responsibility description.
Progress on results
This section details the department’s performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core responsibility: the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal.
Table [1]: Judges and parties are supported through effective court services and case management
Table [1] shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under Judges and parties are supported through effective court services and case management in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental Result Indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of weeks between the filing of an application for leave to appeal and the date when it is submitted to the Court for decision | 12 weeks |
March 31, 2025 Frequency: Annually |
2022–23: 14 weeks 2023–24: 13 weeks 2024–25: 13 weeks |
| Average number of weeks between date when leave to appeal is granted and the hearing of the appeal | 35 weeks |
March 31, 2025 Frequency: Annually |
2022–23: 36 weeks 2023–24: 45 weeks Footnote 1 2024–25: 38 weeks |
| Percent of parties that were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the services of the Registry Branch of the Office of the Registrar | 95% |
March 31, 2025 Frequency: Annually |
2022–23: 96% 2023–24: 98% 2024–25: 99% |
Table [2]: Public and stakeholders’ awareness of the Court is increased through effective communication and outreach
Table [2] shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under Public and stakeholders’ awareness of the Court is increased through effective communication and outreach in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental Result Indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual percentage increase in number of unique visitors to Court web information | 5% increase per year |
March 31, 2025 Frequency: Annually |
2022–23: 14% 2023–24: 3% 2024–25: 30% |
| Annual percentage increase in the number of social media followers | 5% increase per year |
March 31, 2025 Frequency: Annually |
2022–23: 23% 2023–24: 24% 2024–25: 14% |
| Percent of visitors that were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the Tour Program | 95% |
March 31, 2025 Frequency: Annually |
2022–23: 100% 2023–24: 98% 2024–25: 96% |
The Results section of the Infographic for the ORSCC on GC Infobase page provides additional information on results and performance related to its program inventory.
Details on results
The following section describes the results for the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal in 2024–25 compared with the planned results set out in the ORSCC’s departmental plan for the year.
Judges and parties are supported through effective court services and case management
Results achieved
In support of its Core Responsibility, the focus of the ORSCC’s work continued to be the processing and management of all cases brought to the Court.
- The Court has a consistent record of meeting its objectives in processing cases without delay, providing effective access to Court services and case management, including reference information, and providing reliable courtroom services. At the same time, the ORSCC strives continuously to maintain stakeholder satisfaction and high standards of service quality.
- Business Transformation initiative resources were directed to the re-design of the website.
| Category | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Leave applications filed | 526 |
| Leave applications submitted to the Court | 534 |
| Appeals as of right filed | 17 |
| Appeals heard | 39 |
| Judgments | 50 |
Public and stakeholders’ awareness of the Court is increased through effective communication and outreach
Results achieved
As the public’s interest in the Court’s cases increases and as a result of the growing visibility of the Supreme Court of Canada judges in Canada and abroad, the ORSCC must also support the Court by ensuring effective communication strategies and maintaining its outreach activities.
- Calendar year 2025 marks the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada. A number of activities have been planned to commemorate this special occasion and to highlight the SCC’s role in Canadian democracy over the last 150 years, including a legal essay and art contests and visits to Victoria and Moncton. The objective of these commemorations is to inform and engage with Canadians on the Court’s role and its impact in our society. Its decisions over the last 150 years have provided the legal foundation for the strong and democratic country we know today.
- In January 2025, the Court launched a new redesigned website. The overall look and feel was updated and changes were made to the navigation structure to make sure the website is easy to navigate and accessible to all users. These changes improved the visitor experience, allowing both the public and parties to easily find the information they are looking for.
- In addition to its new redesigned website, the Court modernized several public-facing communications products and continued to publish Cases in Brief and hold media briefings for all appeals – reinforcing the Supreme Court of Canada’s commitment to openness and transparency, and making judicial and legal information more accessible to all.
- The Court reopened its doors to the public during Canada Day and Doors Open Ottawa in 2024. It also continued to offer on-site tours of the Supreme Court building and remote tours throughout the year, enabling individuals and school groups unable to visit in person to explore the Court and learn about its history and role in the Canadian judicial system.
Key risks
The ORSCC, like any other department, is faced with risks. These are regularly assessed and involve primarily IT and physical security.
-
IT Security (cyber threats): unintentional or unauthorized access, use, manipulation, interruption or destruction (via electronic means) of electronic information held by the Court and the electronic and physical infrastructure used to process, communicate and/or store that information. Risk to the security and confidentiality of judicial information and data.
Mitigation strategies:
- IT security action plans;
- IT security awareness plans/staff awareness;
- periodic vulnerabilities assessment and penetration testing;
- regular IT threat and risk assessments;
- key investments in security software and systems; and
- sensitive information is clearly identified, classified and stored.
-
Security (persons, building, information, infrastructure): threats to the safety of judges, staff or all building occupants, including visitors, and to the security of the building, information and infrastructure. Balancing security measures required for the protection of judges, staff and visitors with the principle of an open court.
Mitigation strategies:
- security governance structure;
- security action plan;
- security risk register;
- policies and procedures updated regularly;
- security audits/threat and risk assessments;
- business continuity plan;
- staff awareness;
- effective relationship with the RCMP; and
- enhanced physical security measures.
Despite being stable over time, the ORSCC has ongoing risks which require constant vigilance, as identified above. In response to these risks, the ORSCC is continuing to implement enhanced security measures at the Court – both physical and IT security. These investments enable the ORSCC to increase its security posture and to properly address security vulnerabilities.
Resources required to achieve results
Table [3]: Snapshot of resources required for the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal
Table [3] provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | $31,917,693 | $34,471,429 |
| Full-time equivalents | 158 | 150 |
The Finances section of the Infographic for the ORSCC on GC Infobase and the People section of the Infographic for the ORSCC on GC Infobase provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.
Related government priorities
This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.
United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals
In working towards achieving a sustainable future, the ORSCC is contributing to the following Sustainable Development Goals:
- Goal 10: Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action to reduce inequality
- Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act
- Goal 12: Reduce Waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs)
- Transform the federal light-duty fleet
- Strengthen green procurement criteria
- Goal 13: Take action on climate change and its impacts
- Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations
More information on the ORSCC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.
Program inventory
The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal is supported by the following programs:
- Court administration
- Administration of the Judges Act for the Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada
Additional information related to the program inventory for the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Internal services
Description
Internal services refer to the activities and resources that support a department in its work to meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. The 10 categories of internal services are:
- Management and Oversight Services
- Communications Services
- Legal Services
- Human Resources Management
- Financial Management
- Information Management
- Information Technology
- Real Property
- Materiel
- Acquisitions
Progress on results
This section presents details on how the department performed to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.
Internal services support the Court by providing timely and responsive services that are effective and efficient as per established service standards. Some key results for 2024–25 were:
- Continued internal support to managers and employees, with focus on mental health and well-being of staff.
- An increased focus on improving accessibility in the workplace, promoting a diverse and inclusive work environment, and continuing efforts on knowledge transfer/succession planning and employee retention, more specifically to better identify essential positions and opportunities to streamline.
- Continued improvements to various security and information technology (IT) security initiatives, including policies, operating procedures and practices, equipment upgrades, as well as training and awareness.
- Ongoing efforts to maintain the aging SCC building by conducting regular inspections, collaboration with the building custodian (Public Services and Procurement Canada) and optimizing layouts to meet evolving needs.
- In collaboration with PSPC, the Building Operations and Programs Branch prioritized the rehabilitation of both the West Memorial and Supreme Court of Canada buildings. The focus has been on proactive facilities management, space optimization, and ensuring compliance with environmental and safety regulations. Efforts included maintaining the buildings’ safety and operational efficiency while preparing for the planned move to the West Memorial Building in 2026. The integration of new technologies will streamline operations, improve service delivery, and support material management during the ongoing rehabilitation and transition.
- Ongoing efforts aimed at improving and strengthening key internal financial controls within the organization.
- The Information Technology Branch continued to play a critical role as a strategic partner and enabler in advancing the Court’s ongoing operational and technological improvements. Key achievements and contributions for the 2024–25 fiscal year include:
- SCC website redesign and redevelopment: Successfully supported the Court Communication and Outreach Services in the redesign and redevelopment of the Supreme Court of Canada’s public website. This initiative was accomplished primarily through internal SCC resources, including substantial support from IT Branch teams in areas such as infrastructure planning, business analysis, application development, security review, accessibility review and deployment coordination.
- Modernization of core infrastructure: Sustained efforts to evergreen key IT infrastructure components to ensure continued reliability, security, and performance of core systems. These activities support the day-to-day operations of the Court and align with best practices for maintaining a stable and secure IT environment.
- Support for Court operations: Collaborated with the Court Operations Sector to address key pain points in court case processing including maintenance and upgrades to courtroom audio-visual systems.
- System interoperability and optimization: Maintained a strong focus on improving interoperability across platforms and maximizing the value of existing technology investments. This work has led to greater system cohesion and more streamlined workflows across the organization.
- Cybersecurity enhancements: Advanced the Court’s cybersecurity posture through the implementation of additional security controls, user awareness initiatives, and monitoring capabilities in alignment with government-wide standards.
- The Information Management (IM) Branch supports the information management needs of the organization. Results for 2024-25 include:
- Continuing the implementation of a records and document management system (GCdocs) across the organization to better manage the Court’s administrative information and closed case files, and to enhance the operational processing of case files.
- Enhancing the capacity of information management employees to support business units, modernize processes, and maximize the use of implemented technologies.
- Reviewing the platforms that support the document management and correspondence tracking systems.
- Integrate operational processes such as the judgment process into our current IM systems.
- Maturing lifecycle management processes, performing regular document disposition activities, and revitalizing the IM awareness program.
- The Library Branch manages the Supreme Court of Canada Library to meet the research needs of the Court by providing timely reference and research services and developing its hybrid legal collection. Key results for 2024-25 include:
- Increased digital content by adding four new digital collections to support legal research.
- Upgraded the interface of the Interlibrary Loan System to enhance user experience.
- Completion of priority evaluations of collections in alignment with the Supreme Court of Canada Building rehabilitation requirements and the Court’s Collection Development Policy. Higher level project plan complete.
Resources required to achieve results
Table [4]: Resources required to achieve results for internal services this year
Table [4] provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | $16,463,587 | $16,850,564 |
| Full-time equivalents | 98 | 89 |
The Finances section of the Infographic for the ORSCC on GC Infobase and the People section of the Infographic for the ORSCC on GC Infobase provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.
Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
Government of Canada departments are required to award at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses every year.
ORSCC results for 2024-25:
Table [5]: Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses Footnote 2
As shown in Table [5], the ORSCC awarded 13% of the total value of all contracts to Indigenous businesses for the fiscal year.
| Contracting performance indicators | 2024-25 Results |
|---|---|
| Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses Footnote 3 (A) | $510,792 |
| Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous and non‑Indigenous businesses (B) | $7,227,362 |
| Value of exceptions approved by deputy head (C) | $3,310,373 |
| Proportion of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses [A / (B−C) × 100] | 13% |
Over the last few years, procurement officers and project authorities have worked hard to identify opportunities where contracts could be awarded to Indigenous businesses. The ORSCC uses the Indigenous Business Directory as the primary source of information for Indigenous vendors by commodity groupings. While a lot of progress has been made, Deputy Head approved exceptions are required for the following areas in light of the nature of the ORSCC’s operations:
- Protection services provided by the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires who have the first right of refusal;
- Specific software licenses where there are no substitutes for these vendors;
- Subscriptions to legal databases and purchase of legal publications and periodicals for the SCC Library, to support the legal research for SCC judgments; and
- Specialized translation and review services performed by jurilinguists (translators with a legal background and/or accreditation).
In its 2025–26 Departmental Plan, the ORSCC estimated that it would award 5% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses by the end of 2024–25.
Spending and human resources
Spending
This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned expenditures from 2022–23 to 2027–28.
Refocusing Government Spending
In Budget 2023, the government committed to reducing spending by $14.1 billion over five years, starting in 2023–24, and by $4.1 billion annually after that.
While not officially part of this spending reduction exercise, to respect the spirit of this exercise, the ORSCC undertook the following measures in 2024-25:
-
Continued focus on investments in its core operations, replenishment of assets and strategic priorities;
-
Continued enforcement of its long-standing practice of minimizing travel costs by prudent planning and making travel arrangements as early as possible to obtain lower rates, as well as by minimizing the number of attendees, where operationally feasible; and
-
Limited use of professional services in favour of in-house resources, where operationally feasible.
Budgetary performance summary
Table [6]: Actual three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
Table [6] shows the money that the ORSCC spent in each of the past three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2024–25 Main Estimates | 2024–25 total authorities available for use | Actual spending over three years (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal | $31,830,762 | $35,105,752 |
|
| Internal services | $16,137,025 | $17,309,872 |
|
| Total | $47,967,787 | $52,415,624 |
|
Analysis of the past three years of spending
The ORSCC’s spending increase of $4,808,093 from 2022-23 to 2023-24, is largely due to investments in Security, Communications and Outreach Services, Corporate Services and Information Technology Systems. The increase of $2,960,168 between 2023-24 and 2024-25 is mainly due to adjustments to collective agreements, as well as general increases in statutory operating expenditures.
The Finances section of the Infographic for the ORSCC on GC Infobase offers more financial information from previous years.
Table [7]: Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
Table [7] shows the ORSCC’s planned spending for each of the next three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2025–26 planned spending | 2026–27 planned spending | 2027–28 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal | $32,989,515 | $33,312,902 | $33,271,764 |
| Internal services | $17,026,007 | $18,983,647 | $17,370,191 |
| Total | $50,015,522 | $52,296,549 | $50,641,955 |
Analysis of the next three years of spending
A one-time increase in planned spending is expected in 2026-27 as a result of the West Memorial Building (WMB) move.
The Finances section of the Infographic for the ORSCC on GC Infobase offers more detailed financial information related to future years.
Funding
This section provides an overview of the department’s voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. Consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures for further information on funding authorities.
Graph [1]: Approved funding (statutory and voted) over a six-year period
Graph [1] summarizes the department’s approved voted and statutory funding from 2022-23 to 2027-28.
![Graph [1]](/images/reports/performance/2024-2025-report-eng-graph.jpg)
Text version of graph [1]
| Fiscal year | Statutory | Voted | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | $12,615,897 | $30,937,835 | $43,553,732 |
| 2023-24 | $13,579,263 | $34,782,562 | $48,361,825 |
| 2024-25 | $14,651,744 | $36,670,249 | $51,321,993 |
| 2025-26 | $14,558,063 | $35,457,459 | $50,015,522 |
| 2026-27 | $14,889,308 | $37,407,241 | $52,296,549 |
| 2027-28 | $15,137,072 | $35,504,883 | $50,641,955 |
Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period
The increase noted in 2023-24 is largely due to funding received to invest in Security, Communications and Outreach, Corporate Services and Information Technology as well as adjustments to collective agreements. The increase in 2024-25 is mainly due to adjustments to collective agreements as well as to general increases in statutory operating expenditures. The one-time increase reflected in 2026-27 stems from funding reprofiled for the purpose of the WMB move.
Consult the Public Accounts of Canada for further information on the ORSCC’s departmental voted and statutory expenditures.
Financial statement highlights
The ORSCC’s financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2025, are available online.
Table [8]: Condensed statement of operations (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2025 (dollars)
Table [8] summarizes the expenses and revenues for 2024–25 which net to the cost of operations before government funding.
| Financial information | 2024–25 actual results | 2024–25 planned results | Difference (actual results minus planned) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | $62,088,587 | $57,918,710 | $4,169,877 |
| Total revenues | $517 | $13,075 | $(12,558) |
| Net cost of operations before government funding | $62,088,070 | $57,905,635 | $4,182,435 |
Analysis of expenses and revenues for 2024-25
The increase noted in the 2024-25 actual results in comparison to planned results is mainly due to adjustments in collective agreements as well as to general increases in statutory operating expenditures.
The 2024–25 planned results information is provided in the ORSCC’s Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2024–25.
Table [9]: Condensed statement of operations (unaudited) for 2023-24 and 2024-25 (dollars)
Table [9] summarizes actual expenses and revenues and shows the net cost of operations before government funding.
| Financial information | 2024–25 actual results | 2023–24 actual results | Difference (2024-25 minus 2023-24) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | $62,088,587 | $57,690,958 | $4,397,629 |
| Total revenues | $517 | $13,088 | $(12,571) |
| Net cost of operations before government funding | $62,088,070 | $57,677,870 | $4,410,200 |
Analysis of differences in expenses and revenues between 2023-24 and 2024-25
The increase in actual results from 2023-24 to 2024-25 is mainly due to adjustments in collective agreements, an increase in services provided without charge, as well as to general increases in statutory operating expenditures.
Table [10]: Condensed statement of financial position (unaudited) as at March 31, 2025 (dollars)
Table [10] provides a brief snapshot of the amounts the department owes or must spend (liabilities) and its available resources (assets), which helps to indicate its ability to carry out programs and services.
| Financial information |
Actual fiscal year (2024–25) |
Previous fiscal year (2023–24) |
Difference (2024–25 minus 2023–24) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total net liabilities | $10,724,250 | $9,970,667 | $753,583 |
| Total net financial assets | $8,242,325 | $7,727,554 | $514,771 |
| Departmental net debt | $2,481,925 | $2,243,113 | $238,812 |
| Total non-financial assets | $1,716,835 | $1,806,478 | $(89,643) |
| Departmental net financial position | $(765,090) | $(436,635) | $(328,455) |
Analysis of department’s liabilities and assets since last fiscal year
The departmental net financial position has decreased by $328,455 since the previous fiscal year, mostly due to an increase in liabilities.
Human resources
This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2022–23 to 2027–28.
Table [11]: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services
Table [11] shows a summary in full-time equivalents of human resources for the ORSCC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2022–23 actual full-time equivalents | 2023–24 actual full-time equivalents | 2024–25 actual full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal | 147 | 150 | 150 |
| Internal services | 78 | 85 | 89 |
| Total | 225 | 235 | 239 |
Analysis of human resources for the last three years
The increase in full-time equivalents (FTEs) over the last three years is mainly attributable to the creation of new positions to support enhancements to the Security, Communication and Outreach, Corporate Services and Information Technology Systems.
Table [12]: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services
Table [12] shows the planned full-time equivalents for each of the ORSCC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the next three years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecast based on year to date.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2025–26 planned full-time equivalents | 2026–27 planned full-time equivalents | 2027–28 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal | 159 | 159 | 159 |
| Internal services | 96 | 96 | 96 |
| Total | 255 | 255 | 255 |
Analysis of human resources for the next three years
No significant shift in FTEs is anticipated.
Supplementary information tables
The following supplementary information tables are available on the ORSCC’s website:
Federal tax expenditures
The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.
Corporate information
Departmental profile
Appropriate minister(s): The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C, M.P.
Institutional head: Chantal Carbonneau
Ministerial portfolio: Justice
Enabling instrument(s):
Supreme Court Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. S-26)
Judges Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. J-1)
Year of incorporation / commencement: 1875
Organizational contact information
Mailing address
301 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0J1
Telephone: 1-888-551-1185
Fax: (613) 996-3063
Email: reception@scc-csc.ca
Website: https://www.scc-csc.ca/
Chantal Carbonneau - Registrar
Telephone: (613) 947-8608
Email: reception@scc-csc.ca
Cristina Damiani - Deputy Registrar
Telephone: (613) 996-7521
Email: reception@scc-csc.ca
Barbara Kincaid - General Counsel and Director General, Court Operations Sector
Telephone: (613) 996-7721
Email: law-droit@scc-csc.ca
Catherine Laforce - Director General and Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Sector
Telephone: (613) 947-0682
Email: Catherine.Laforce@scc-csc.ca
Michel Gallant - Executive Director, Judicial Support and Protocol Services Sector
Telephone: (613) 996-4841
Email: Michel.Gallant@scc-csc.ca
- appropriation (crédit)
- Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
- Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, departments or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
- core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
- An enduring function or role of a department. The departmental results listed for a core responsibility reflect the outcomes that the department seeks to influence or achieve.
- Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
- A report that outlines the anticipated activities and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3-year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament in spring.
- departmental priority (priorité)
- A plan, project or activity that a department focuses and reports on during a specific planning period. Priorities represent the most important things to be done or those to be addressed first to help achieve the desired departmental results.
- departmental result (résultat ministériel)
- A high-level outcome related to the core responsibilities of a department.
- departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
- A quantitative or qualitative measure that assesses progress toward a departmental result.
- departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
- A framework that connects the department’s core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.
- Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
- A report outlining a department’s accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
- Full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
- Measures the person years in a departmental budget. An employee’s scheduled hours per week divided by the employer’s hours for a full-time workweek calculates a full-time equivalent. For example, an employee who works 20 hours in a 40-hour standard workweek represents a 0.5 full-time equivalent.
- Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
- An analytical tool that helps to understand the ways diverse individuals experience policies, programs and other initiatives. Applying GBA Plus to policies, programs and other initiatives helps to identify the different needs of the people affected, the ways to be more responsive and inclusive, and the methods to anticipate and mitigate potential barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
- government priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
- For the purpose of the 2024–25 Departmental Results Report, government priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda as announced in the 2021 Speech from the Throne.
- horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
- A program, project or other initiative where two or more federal departments receive funding to work collaboratively on a shared outcome usually linked to a government priority, and where the ministers involved agree to designate it as horizontal. Specific reporting requirements apply, including that the lead department must report on combined expenditures and results.
- Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)
- For the purposes of a Departmental Result Report, this includes any entity that meets the Indigenous Services Canada’s criteria of being owned and operated by Elders, band and tribal councils, registered in the Indigenous Business Directory or registered on a modern treaty beneficiary business list.
- non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
- Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
- performance (rendement)
- What a department did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the department intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
- performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
- A qualitative or quantitative measure that assesses progress toward a departmental-level or program-level result, or the expected outputs or outcomes of a program, policy or initiative.
- plan (plan)
- The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how a department intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.
- planned spending (dépenses prévues)
- For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to the amounts presented in Main Estimates. Departments must determine their planned spending and be able to defend the financial numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
- program (programme)
- An individual, group, or combination of services and activities managed together within a department and focused on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
- program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
- A listing that identifies all the department’s programs and the resources that contribute to delivering on the department’s core responsibilities and achieving its results.
- result (résultat)
- An outcome or output related to the activities of a department, policy, program or initiative.
- statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
- Spending approved through legislation passed in Parliament, other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose and the terms and conditions of the expenditures.
- target (cible)
- A quantitative or qualitative, measurable goal that a department, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period.
- voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
- Spending approved annually through an appropriation act passed in Parliament. The vote also outlines the conditions that govern the spending.
Footnotes
- Footnote 1
-
In 2023–24, the time lapse between the hearing of an appeal and the date when leave to appeal was granted or the notice of appeal as of right was file increased to 45 weeks, largely due to the impact of the hearing of one appeal that, in an unusual set of judicial circumstances, was concluded three years after leave was granted.
- Footnote 2
-
“Contract” is a binding agreement for the procurement of a good, service, or construction and does not include real property leases. It includes contract amendments and contracts entered into by means of acquisition cards of more than $10,000.00.
- Footnote 3
-
For the purposes of the minimum 5% target, the data in this table reflects how Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) defines “Indigenous business” as either: owned and operated by Elders, band and tribal councils; registered in the Indigenous Business Directory; registered on a modern treaty beneficiary business list.