Announcements

Following the recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in R v Tayo Tompouba, 2024 SCC 16, new procedures have been established to ensure compliance with Section 530 of the Criminal Code. This decision reinforces the obligation to inform all individuals accused of a criminal offence of their right to be tried in either of Canada’s official languages (English or French), or to request a bilingual trial.

In response to the growing number of French and bilingual trials being scheduled in the province, and to ensure that these matters proceed efficiently and in compliance with the law, the Court is implementing new documentation and procedures, effective May 1, 2025.

The following documents are now available on the Court’s website:

• Language of Accused (LOA) Form – to confirm that the accused has been advised of their language rights;
• Practice Direction: Use and Filing of the LOA Form – outlining when the form is required and where it must be filed;
• Practice Direction: Scheduling French and Bilingual Trials – detailing procedures for setting trial dates in French or both official languages.
  

All parties are expected to review and adhere to these new requirements.